


Whumptober 2020

by liesorlife



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Anorexia, Blood Loss, Broken Bones, Caning, Character Death, Childbirth, Corporal Punishment, Drug Abuse, Drug Use, Eating Disorders, Failed escape, Gen, Grief, Hurt/Comfort, Illness, Infection, Kidnapping, Mourning, Punishment, Torture, Whipping, car crash, drug overdose, injuries, losing a pet, pet death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:00:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 64,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26738518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liesorlife/pseuds/liesorlife
Summary: 31 days, 31 evil and Whumptastic prompts! all based around the wonderful world of Thunderbirds. No character is safe and any individual warnings will apply to chapters as and when they appear.
Comments: 230
Kudos: 60
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	1. Let's Hang Out Sometime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompts used Waking up restrained, shackled and hanging! 
> 
> Can international Rescue get to and save their sibling before something terrible happens?!

Scott Tracy is not stupid, so how he ended up here of all places after a night out with his brothers, he has no idea. They have been out celebrating Alans high school graduation, the capture of the Chaos Crew and Hood, and the return of their father. 

Somewhere, somehow, they got separated, and now he is waking up to find his whole world has been flipped upside down. The room is dark and poorly lit as he finally tries to look around at his surroundings. 

“Where am I?” he asks, confused and disoriented. 

“Ah, you have re-joined the land of the living” his anonymous captor says. His voice is deep and husky sounding, and he ignores Scott’s question.

“Who are you? Where are my brothers?” Scott asks. He knows that there is no way that they would leave him here. This monster must have them locked up somewhere. Now he is fully awake he is aware of the ropes burning his ankles as he starts to struggle against the restraints. 

“Brothers? What brothers?” the man asks. There is a cruel smirk on his face. The only part of him that Scott can see.

“My brothers. Virgil, John, Gordon and Alan?” Scott asks. “What have you done to them?!” 

“They are no longer your concern” he is told. 

Scott starts to wriggle, unable to even move his arms against the thick leather arms of the straight jacket he was forced into. “Why are you doing this to me?” 

The man does not reply, instead he gets up from the high stool he was perched upon and approaches the terrified captive. Scott flinches as the mans hand makes contact with his cheek, a loud slap resounding around the room. 

“I think it is time to silence you Mr Tracy” are the last words Scott hears before a needle is jammed into his arm and once again, he succumbs to the darkness. 

*TB*

“Has he woken up yet?” Janus asks. 

“Yes sir, but he wouldn’t talk or answer my questions” the anonymous captor replies, lying through his teeth, as he has not even bothered asking him any questions yet.

“He won’t, we need to offer him some incentive” Janus replies. 

Freshly let out of jail, he has sworn a vendetta against International Rescue and even he can’t believe how easy it was to drug and kidnap their field commander. It turns out that people are easily bought, and easily replaced just like he was replaced when he was caught out by the despicable Lady Penelope and that awful little yappy dog she is never seen without. 

Janus hates the Hood almost as much as he hates International Rescue, and even allowed himself a small smile when he was captured. 

“What do you mean by incentive boss?” He asks.

“Release the sharks!” Janus replies. 

“SHARKS?!” 

“Yes sharks. Scott Tracy will talk, or he will die” Janus insists.

*TB*

Miles away, in a five-star resort, Gordon has just woken up. Lady Penelope is lying in the bed next to him, her hair falling across her face, her mouth wide open and she is snoring loudly. She does not look like the perfectly put together Lady he is used to, and he loves it. This makes her more human. She has her head resting on his outstretched arm. 

Intune to his feelings, she starts to stir. Gazing lovingly into his amber eyes, she smiles happily. Still unable to believe that he is all hers now.

“Morning sunshine” Gordon greets her, as she struggles to sit up, yawning heavily, sleep still fogging her eyes. 

“Mmm” she replies sleepily. There is a soft smile on her lips and she is about to pounce on him when his comm starts to bleep.

“Sorry!” Gordon tells her sheepishly as he flicks the comm unit open, laughing as Lady Penelope desperately tries to cover herself with the blanket as Jeffs face fills the room. 

“Gordon, thank god your safe” Jeff tells him in relief. 

“Of course I am safe.” Gordon tells him rolling his eyes. He is twenty-two years old now, and perfectly capable of looking after himself.

“I didn’t mean it like that. Gordon, Scott is missing” 

That got his attention, and suddenly the aquanaut is all business. “Give me five minutes to shower and I will meet the others in the lobby and we will sort out a game plan” Gordon confirms, not bothering with modesty as he runs into the bathroom in his underwear, leaving the comm open so his father can fill Penny in with what has happened.

*TB*

Scott is once again dragged back to consciousness; his head is pounding and he has an itchy knee and he can’t move to scratch it. There is no way for him to confirm just how long he has been left hanging here as this room has no windows, and he doesn’t even know if it is night or day. There is so much pressure on his bladder now, and he would do anything to get out of here.

“Ah yes Mr Scott Tracy. I don’t suppose to remember me?” Janus asks, poking him in the side with a stick. 

“You?” Scott gasps in horror, before spitting in his face, the only damage he can do from this position. 

“Yes me, and you are going to regret that!” Janus barks at him before using the stick to whip the back of Scott’s thighs, but to his disappointment Scott doesn’t even flinch. In his anger he strikes him again, this time across the small of Scott’s back, the only bit not fully protected by his straight jacket, and this time he can’t stop a tiny whimper of pain from escaping.

“Now, you are going to tell me what I want or you are going to meet a very sad ending to your worthless life Tracy” Janus tells him. “Now, tell me the codes you use to encrypt your messages” 

“Never, you will have to kill me before I betray my family” Scott replies. 

“That can be arranged Mr Tracy” Janus tells him coldly. “I spent five years in prison because of you and your brothers, and now it is my turn for revenge, and I am telling you this now that you are going to speak or you are going to die” 

“You went to prison because you broke the law and endangered innocent lives. Take some responsibility for your own vile actions Janus” Scott informs him. As someone who was bought up to accept responsibility for his actions, Scott is disgusted by this man’s lack of remorse. 

“Very well, you leave me no choice” Janus replies. Scott looks at him, as he pulls out a remote control from his pocket, before pushing one of the buttons which opens up the pit below. 

“This device will lower you slowly into the pit, where my sharks are waiting for you. You have ninety minutes to make your choice, you either speak and tell me what I want to know, or you are shark chow Mr Tracy” Janus informs him, as he gets comfortable on the only chair in the room. 

“You can’t be serious?!” Scott asks. “You’re going to feed me to sharks, what is this? Team America?!” 

“That is the plan, and don’t be rude. Unless of course you would like to reveal the secrets of your organisation?” 

Scott falls silent, looking down at the fins circling underneath him. It is one death, or it is dozens and he knows that there is only one option. 

*TB*

Janus may have out a lot of thought into kidnapping and restraining Scott, but has not covered his tracks well and it doesn’t take the genius of Eos long before she has tracked them to an old abandoned warehouse down by the docks of Bristol Harbour, a short hop for Thunderbird two from where they parked it on Lady Penelope’s back lawn.

Gordon and Alan are champing at the bit to get in there and grab Scott, but Virgil and John hold them back. “No, we need a plan” Virgil tells his two youngest brothers grabbing Gordons arm to stop him getting up.

“I am scanning the building John, there are three life signs in there” Eos announces, forwarding through the plans for the building, which Gordon starts to study. 

“We can’t have a plan Virg, we don’t have the time to plan. I say we go in there. We will wear the exosuits to protect us in case they are armed and take them by surprise” Gordon insists. “look here, this is the rear entrance, and they won’t be expecting us, I say we sneak in and grab Scott and get back here before they even have time to miss him!” 

Virgil knows that this is their best plan, even though it is more of a suicide mission than a real plan. Nodding to his brother, their eyes meeting and the silent understanding the pair have shared since the day they met reveals that they both know that this could easily go horribly wrong. 

Gordons Exosuit may be designed for underwater use, but it works just as well on dry land, thanks to the genius of their chief engineer. Gordon uses the laser on his suit to break the lock on the rear entrance, before leading Virgil through the corridor towards where he believes that Scott is being held. 

Virgil grabs Gordons arm holding him back as he can hear voices from the other side of the door. “Listen” Virgil hisses in his ear. As they both lean up against the door.

“Boss he isn’t going to speak, I say we cut our losses and just drop him in the pit” voice one speaks. It is not a voice either Gordon or Virgil recognise. 

“No. He will speak, his will to live will overcome his bravery soon enough. The timer is almost up. My sharks can almost smell him now.” the second voice replies.

“Is that…?” Virgil asks in shock, his voice almost loud enough to betray them both. 

“Janus?” Gordon whispers back equally shocked. “I didn’t even know he was out of prison. But Virg, sharks?!” 

“Are you ready to storm the room?” Virgil asks. Without Scott to make the decision, it is Virgil’s call and he does not want to make the choice. What if they’re armed. He would never be able to forgive himself if they burst in and Gordon got shot.

But there is a steely look of determination in his younger brother’s face. As he grimly nods. “Let’s go and rescue our big brother!” he replies. 

“On the count of three we go in, okay?” Virgil asks. 

“One” Gordon starts to count as a way of replying. “Two…” he breaks off to look at Virgil and gives one final nod before calling out “THREE!” then he throws the door open, and the pair storm into the room. Gordon throws himself at a pair of legs that are still standing before pinning the man to the floor. “GOTCHA!” Gordon shouts relieved. 

Virgil has his laser pointed at Janus’ head. International Rescue may not have conventional weapons, but a bit of improvisation over the years has been extremely useful! 

“Let my brother go” Virgil demands. 

Janus fumbles with the remote which slips through his grip and lands on the floor near Virgil’s feet. Not taking his eyes from Janus as he reaches down for the device to free his brother.

“Get up” Virgil demands, the laser still pointed directly at his heart. Janus isn’t stupid, he knows that the game is up and surrenders to Virgil. “Up against the wall, both of you” he demands. the kidnappers comply with the request, and Virgil throws the remote over to Gordon. “Get Scott, while I tie these miserable sons of a…” 

“Virgil, no! If Grandma hears that sort of language you will have a one-way trip to the bathroom with a fresh bar of soap!” Gordon interrupts. 

“Just save Scott” Virgil replies rolling his eyes. 

Gordon jams his finger onto the button to cover the pit back up before he is able to approach his eldest brother. “Scott?” he asks quietly.

Scott is unresponsive, his eyes tightly closed as he continues to hang upside down, suspended by his ankles. Taking the now vacant chair, Gordon climbs up onto the seat and starts to untie the ropes around his brothers ankles. Before gently lying him down on the floor. 

“Gordon, deal with these idiots, they’re restrained I will get Scott back to Thunderbird two” Virgil announces. 

“When you say deal with them, do you mean throw them in the shark pit?” Gordon replies with disgust. 

“No, I don’t. we are the better people Gordy; we wouldn’t want to poison the sharks!” Virgil tells him with a grin.

*TB*

Once safely inside Thunderbird two, after Janus and his buddy have been carted back to jail by a GDF flier, a semi-conscious field commander can finally relax. Virgils cleaned the cuts on his ankles where the rope has dug in and burned and sliced the skin away and the backs of his legs and back where he was struck with the switch. He is curled up on the stretcher in the med bay a blanket lying across his legs and torso. 

He looks up at Gordon, who is still sitting next to him, his hand tightly gripped in his, determined to never let him go ever again.

“Thank you” Scott mumbles, before passing out once more from the exhaustion and terror and the sheer relief that he was found before it was too late. 

“Any time big bro” Gordon replies quietly, as he gently strokes a stray hair from his forehead, before turning back to the front of Thunderbird two. “Lets go home Virg”


	2. In the Hands of the enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeff + Pick who dies.
> 
> five boys chained up following an attack on the Island and one is about to get shot, just how is Jeff supposed to decide which of his children's life should be snubbed out so young?

Jeff Tracy has five children. Each uniquely beautiful in their own way. talented, loving, heroic. Every single one of them. Scott, his eldest is clever, and responsible. A rescue scout from the moment he was old enough to join. Virgil, kind-hearted, and artistic and puts a hundred and ten percent into everything he does. John, too intelligent for his own good. Gordon, his water baby, funny and enthusiastic. And his baby. Alan may now be nineteen and a high school graduate, but he is always going to be Jeffs baby. 

And now he is having to decide which one has to die.

How on earth did he ever get into this situation?

The Island invasion was terrifying enough, and even Kayo was caught unawares. The head of security for his organisation, suspicious of everyone she meets, she never lets her guard down. So how did he know this was the one weekend that Kayo wouldn’t be on the Island? She is off doing a supply run with Grandma. Brains is up in Thunderbird Five, installing some upgrades while the GDF handle rescue calls, which is why John is on earth for a few hours. 

“How did you get out of prison Hood?” Jeff asks in disgust. 

“It is not that hard Jeff. The GDF will never be able to build a prison capable of holding me forever” the Hood replies. “Stop stalling, I gave you a choice. Now it is the time to choose one of your boys to die” 

“Pick me father” Scott speaks bravely. “I have had a good life; I am nearly thirty. Please” he begs his father. 

“Scott no!” Gordon cries out. A stray tear escaping his eye. “We need you” 

“THIS IS NOT YOUR CHOICE!” the Hood thunders, his fist slamming into Gordons nose. The loud audible crack as the bone splinters with the force of the blow causes Jeff to swear loudly. 

“That didn’t hurt!” Gordon insists thickly, as fresh blood squirts from his nose, and the effort from speaking drains the remaining blood from his face, leaving him deathly white. 

Jeff just wishes one hand were free for a face palm. If any of his children were going to get themselves killed by their sheer cheek, he would bet the island on it being Gordon! 

“I have had enough of this Jefferson Tracy… Choose one of your boys for this bullet” The Hood demands. Jabbing Jeff in the stomach with his gun. 

Wincing Jeff looks up into his eyes. He can’t believe he was once friends with this man. They were going to change the world, and there was a brief moment in his life that he thought the Hoods methods were correct. 

Then he met her. She changed everything.

*TB*

Jeff Tracy was young, arrogant, foolish and rich. Back on earth after a successful mission exploring Mars with his partner in crime and best friend Lee Taylor, Jeff can’t wait to dive into the hot tub in his hotel as the pair sit in the back of the taxi after their successful quarantine period. 

The hotel looms large in front of him, a hundred stories high, it is one of the tallest in Europe and the most expensive he could find. Determined to be the billionaire playboy the press keep labelling him as. He only went to Mars just so he could say he has been rather than for any real enthusiasm for exploring the barren planet. 

He orders one of the bellhops to carry his cases up to his room and laughs in his face when he stays waiting for a tip. This is how rich billionaire playboys stay rich! 

Jeff and Lee order thousand dollar bottles of champagne, and invite Gaat and his brother who is only known by his surname of Kyrano up to the room and the four relax together in the hot tub sipping champagne and snacking directly from the taco boats floating in the water. 

“This is the life!” Jeff declares happily. 

“I agree” Gaat replies lazily. “There is a club nearby, I was thinking we could grace them with our presence this evening a little fun before we continue with the quest to own the world, I was thinking about organising the theft of that new GDF experimental plane that they have been bragging about in the meetings I snuck into while you two were up on Mars. You would be surprised what a little disguise can get you” 

Jeff grins, he is always up for a party! “Give me five minutes to get ready” he announces, climbing up out of the hot tub. “Tell me more about the plans in the morning, I could use a faster plane. I have been working on a plan myself but why put in the work when we can just steal someone else’s!” 

True to his promise Jeff emerges from the bathroom less than five minutes later. His dark hair washed, brushed and perfect with every strand in place. a shirt which cost as much as a family of four spend on food in a month, and jeans so tight he can’t even squeeze a dollar bill into the pocket. Not that he ever carries anything less than a hundred.

“Ugh Jeff, did you bathe in cologne?” Gaat asks laughing. Which Jeff ignores; he knows he looks fantastic. 

Determined to go out and be the most sought-after billionaire in the world Jeff starts towards the door and the exit. 

Jeff doesn’t know it but this is the night that will change his life forever.

The girl is on a post graduate tour of Europe and has sparkling amber eyes set in a heart shaped face and framed by the longest and most beautiful strawberry blonde hair. Until this moment Jeff Tracy did not believe in love at first sight, heck he didn’t even believe in love. But this woman is so stunningly pretty that he has to know her name. 

“Can I buy you a drink?” he asks, flashing her his most winning smile. 

“No thanks” She replies turning away from him and continuing to gossip with her friend.

“Come on, just one?” Jeff begs. 

“Okay fine, but you have to get my friend one too!” She replies. 

“Deal” Jeff says happily. 

One drink becomes another, and another and he still hasn’t even learnt her name. 

The club is noisy and crowded, but he has realised that it is now just the two of them, her friend having hit the dance floor to give them some space. 

They remain together until the club closes and have both had a lot to drink. Jeff usually would be thinking of taking her back to his hotel, before sneaking out first thing in the morning and just leaving her with the bill, but this is different. 

They take a stroll along the beach, her kicking off her shoes to walk in the soft white sand. “Come on Jeff, join me!” She calls, and she still hasn’t told him her name. 

Desperately wishing that this is not just a figment of his imagination, Jeff replies “Only if you tell me your name” 

“It is Lucile, my friends call my Lucy. You can call me Lucile!” She says to him, her tone teasing as she grabs his ass in her hands and pulls him into her embrace. 

Waking up the following morning, under the pier Jeff is delighted to find that this really happened, and that this angel is still with him, lying contentedly in his arms. The smell of the salty air drifting in from the sea causes him to wake up with the dawn. 

“Lucile? It is morning” Jeff says, gently shaking her awake. 

In the natural sunlight she is even more beautiful with a stray piece of seaweed caught up in the tangles of the hair she has slept on. 

Lucile groans, wishing that she were still asleep. “Jeff?” she asks sleepily. 

“Yes darling?” Jeff replies hoping that she doesn’t tell him off for being impudent! 

“Jeff, did we…?” she asks. 

“What?” Jeff replies confused.

“You know. Did we have sex? Because I can’t remember much after we go to the beach” She tells him nervous now. 

“No, you were a perfect lady all evening. We walked along the beach and gazed up at the stars after out little make out session before we fell asleep here.” He confirms. “You were drunk Lucile. I was not about to take advantage of that, my mother would kill me if she ever found out!” 

Lucy smiles at him, realising that her breath still smells of alcohol and Jeffs cologne. “I think you can call me Lucy” she tells him. 

Together they go back to their separate hotels to shower and dress before meeting up for lunch. Jeff taking her to a small selective seafood restaurant near to where they slept the night before. 

“How long are you in Europe for?” He asks as they study the menu.

“Barcelona just until Sunday then I am moving on to Madrid. You?” she replies. She is only pretending to study the menu, and she knows exactly what she wants to eat, and he is sitting on the other side of the table!

“As long as I desire, I have just got back from Mars and have some downtime before I have to get back to real life” Jeff replies.

“Mars?! You’re an astronaut?” Lucy asks in awe. 

“Yep. I have also been to the moon” Jeff adds, knowing that he is impressing her with his well-travelled life. Usually there is a tone of bragging when he talks about how much money he has, and his space exploits, but he knows that with Lucy there is no point. She doesn’t care how much money he has; she can see past it all and into his very soul and she knows that underneath the arrogant playboy exterior beats a heart of gold. 

Lucy continues her European tour, but stays in constant touch with Jeff, and by the end of the summer they are ready to announce to the world that they are a couple. 

Kyrano and Lee are thrilled for their friend, but Gaat is sullen, and slowly drifting away from the group, starting to embrace the side of him that with Jeffs influence was always kept in check. 

Years pass, and Lucy and Jeff get married, and one by one her precious boys are born. Lucy thought she loved Jeff, but that love was nothing to how she felt when the midwife placed Scott in her arms for the first time. This perfect tiny little boy was now an irreplaceable part of her world. That love never diminished, with each of her perfect children. She never got to watch them reach man hood, as a tragic accident ripped away Jeffs one true love when Alan was just a baby.

Jeff tried to carry on, he tried to keep everything normal for his children, but without Lucy a light had forever been extinguished in his heart. But he learned to cope, and these boys gave him the will to keep fighting, and when Gaat came back into his life just nine years ago and sent him to the far reaches of the universe it was their faces that got him through it. 

He knows he has missed out on so much over the last nine years. The little ones he left are now men. Alan was just ten when he disappeared. Gordon was fourteen and just starting to complete his aquanaut training. They were too young to lose their father then. But they coped. And they will cope again, Jeff thinks as he makes a decision, the only decision he could ever make.

*TB*

“Well?” Gaat asks again. “Make your choice or I will kill them one by one, starting with the little one” pretending that he has no idea what Alans name is. But the truth is, he knows. He knows everything about Jeffs boys. He knows that Scott would do absolutely anything to protect them all. He knows that Virgil turned down a full scholarship at Julliard to stay with his family and be an integral member of Jeffs pet rescue organisation. He knows that John is socially awkward, but intellectually unmatched by many. He knows that Gordon is an Olympic champion, who has survived insurmountable odds stacked against him to win the heart of the lovely Lady Penelope. He knows Alan wants so desperately to be accepted by the world, growing up in the isolated world of Tracy Island, Alan has missed out on so much. 

Jeff takes a deep breath. The truth is this decision is easy. “Me” he tells Gaat. 

“DAD NO!” Scott calls out in horror. “They have only just got you back, please don’t” he begs, looking at Alan and Gordon. Gordon is barely conscious, and the blood is still steadily flowing from his nose. But his eyes, Lucy’s eyes are fixed on his father as he silently begs him not to sacrifice himself. 

“I am so sorry boys, but you have to live your lives now. You don’t need me. Scott. My brave boy, you have done such an amazing job with your brothers, please just be there for them once I am gone. Virgil, never give up trying to teach Alan chess! John, please keep that eye in the sky, they need you more than you will ever know. Gordon, she loves you, just let her love you. Alan. Oh Allie, I am so sorry I haven’t been there to watch you grow up but you are every bit the man I hoped you would be and so so much more.” 

All five boys are crying now. but they have lost the ability to carry on with their protests. Bound together. Scott on one end, John on the other. All united in their grief as they know that they are going to lose their father all over again. 

The look on Gaats face is sadistic and cruel, as he points the gun over Jeffs heart.

Jeff closes his eyes, resting his head back against the wall. “I am coming Lucy” He thinks as he waits for the shot to ring out, knowing that it will be the last thing he ever hears. 

But it isn’t a gun shot, it is a pained scream from the monster holding them all hostage as he falls to the floor.

“Hood?” Jeff asks in shock, as the man who has caused his family so much pain is the one writhing in agony, with Max extracts the blender he dug into his ribs with so much force they shattered upon impact. 

It is Max who frees them. Brains’ assistant and one of the bravest robots Jeff has ever met.

Scott and Virgil whisk Gordon to the infirmary to treat his broken nose, leaving John, Jeff and Alan to deal with the wannabe executioner. Jeff making sure his injuries are painful but not life threatening. 

“I am going to call the GDF, inform them that they are missing a prisoner” Jeff tells the Hood as he follows the boys from the office after he has tied him up so he can’t escape. Making sure he stamps on him on the way. “And this time there will be no escape for you!”


	3. My Way or the Highway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alan + Forced to their knees.
> 
> just a quick one today, Alan + a monster + a wrecked FAB 1 = an angry Parker!

“TRACY!” An angry voice calls. A voice even angrier than the one he flinched away from the last time he bought back Thunderbird One with a scratch down the side. He should have known then that “Borrowing” his brothers’ bird was a bad idea, but this…. this is a hundred times worse. 

“It was an emergency” he tries desperately to shift the blame onto anyone else. This is definitely not his fault! 

“What kind of emergency allows you to think that borrowing my car in the middle of the night and crashing it into the side of the house while I am sleeping is ever a good idea?” the voice thunders. 

“Your car?” he replies, snorting, despite the seriousness of the situation he can’t help a laugh escaping from his lips now.

“DON’T LAUGH AT ME” The voice roars in fury. But standing there in an old night dress with a white floppy cap on his head while holding up a lamp, he is impossible to take seriously. 

“I am waiting for an explanation” Parker tries again. 

“Well. It is like this. I was asleep in the guest room, and there was a noise. A loud noise. A big loud scary noise and I switched the light on, and there it was. It was huge and running across my floor, wearing steel toe-cap boots. You would have done the same thing!” He insists. 

“What was huge?” Parker asks the still unrepentant blonde standing on the lawn in a pair of pyjamas, his arms folded and glaring back at him in defiance. 

“The spider!” he replies. “I threw a shoe and it, and it picked it up and threw it back!” 

“You drove FAB 1 into the side of the Creighton-Ward manner to kill a spider?!” Parker gasps in shock, before grabbing a branch from the floor and starting to run towards him, determined to beat some humility into the little brat. 

“Put the stick down Parker, let’s talk this out like adults” he says to the butler. 

“No, you get back here you little worm, so I can give you a whipping!” Parker replies, grabbing hold of the young Tracy’s shirt and physically forcing him to his knees. 

He is saved from the prescribed thrashing when his elder brother arrives back at the manner, with Lady Penelope, having taken advantage of the break in rescues and the late summer sun to go for a peaceful stroll along the canal near the manner. Sherbet on his leash, happy to be out in the fresh air with the two humans he loves the most.

“Parker?” Lady Penelope gasps in horror. “What on earth has happened here?” 

“I can explain” Alan gasps in pain having been roughly manhandled to the ground.

“Oh this had better be good Allie!” Gordon says to him, surveying the damage to both the wall and FAB 1. 

“Well” Alan replies, “there was this spider…” 

“Did you get it?!” Lady Penelope asks in fear.

“I think so” Alan replies, still unable to get to his feet. 

“Let him up Parker” Lady Penelope requests, taking pity on him. 

“But M’Lady, the house?!” Parker replies in disgust, still pining him to the floor with the threat of the lash. 

“Alan will clean all this up and pay for the repairs won’t you dear” Lady Penelope replies.

“Of course, I will get started straight away Lady Penelope” Alan replies, finally showing a hint of remorse, anything to avoid a whipping.

Alan is finally allowed to stand up. There is gravel stuck to the knees of his pyjamas, which are bleeding slightly from where they hit the ground causing him to wince in pain.

“Does that hurt?” Parker asks, still upset with his initial attitude and lack of remorse. 

“Yes” Alan replies meekly. 

“Good” Parker replies, before walking away.

*TB*

It takes Alan several hours just to clean away the debris, and Gordons shouting helpful suggestions do not help! Especially his favourite, “you aren’t working hard enough. Put some real effort in” even borrowing parkers whip as an additional incentive! Poking him with it every now and again just to keep him on his toes.

He knows he messed up, but Gordon didn’t see that monster spider it was HUGE!


	4. Running out of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John + Caged
> 
> John gets into trouble on a night out.

Weekends with five loud and rambunctious children are never peaceful, but Jeff wouldn’t swap his life for the world. This weekend is just as chaotic as always but with one noticeable difference.

John has recently graduated to the fabled eleven pm curfew. A reward for turning fourteen and a right of passage among the boys. Scott and Virgil have both enjoyed nights out with their friends and no adult supervision, and now it is Johns turn.

Waking up at five in the morning to the sounds of Alan and Gordon arguing over who gets to decide on what they are going to do today, Jeff groans. Can’t they just once either sleep until midday or just agree! 

Still in his pyjamas, Jeff pulls on his old worn dressing gown and slides his feet into his slippers. Shivering slightly in the cold of the early winter morning. It is still dark outside, but he can see a fine layer of frost covering the yard and the fields which stretch out for miles. Taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of his family home before a scream breaks him from his reverie and he hurtles down the stairs and into the kitchen. 

Alan is standing on the table, pointing at the large brown eight-legged beast making its way across the linoleum floor. Gordon is giggling at his brother’s terror. “Daddy! Get it!” Alan cries in horror. 

“Move out the way, I will get it” Gordon announces bravely. Before scooping the arachnid up in a glass jar and releasing it in the barn. 

“How do you do that?” Alan asks, when Gordon comes back in, shivering. 

“Ugh it is freezing out there” Gordon replies ignoring Alans question. “What’s for breakfast dad?” 

“Breakfast? It is half five in the morning, you two are going back to bed!” Jeff informs them, picking Alan up from the table and herding them both back upstairs and into their rooms. 

“I don’t want to hear a word from either of you until at least eight” Jeff informs them as he gets them both tucked back into their beds. 

“But I am not tired!” Alan protests loudly. “Can I not go and watch the television if I promise to be quiet?” 

Jeff knows if he agrees for Alan then Gordon will want to join him, and he will never get back to sleep! “No. eight o’clock for both of you!” 

Alan turns his back on him and starts to sulk, but Jeff knows that he will be sound asleep just minutes later, as he fights his way back through the rubbish on Alans bedroom floor, vowing to order him to tidy up once the sun has actually risen.

Gordon is already drifting back off to sleep, burrowed under his duvet, just the top his dark blonde hair showing which is resting just below the pillow. Jeff brings the blanket down so it is not covering his nose and mouth and tucks it around his shoulders. “I will see you in a few hours. You want pancakes for breakfast?” 

“Okay” Gordon replies, yawning heavily still curled up into a ball.

As much as he loves being their father, Jeff won’t deny that he is at his happiest when they are asleep! 

Alan waits until he is certain that his father has gone back to bed before he quietly gets out of bed and stealthily sneaks into Scott’s room. He is not even slightly tired and does not see the point in lying in bed awake when he isn’t being punished! 

“Scott?” he whispers loudly, jabbing his eldest brother in the side of the head with his index finger. 

“Ugh” Scott groans. “What time is it?” 

“I don’t know. Scotty I’m bored” Alan replies. “I tried to get Gordon to play with me but daddy caught us and put us back to bed!” 

Looking at the alarm clock lit up on his bedside table, Scott realises that it is just before six in the morning. “Get in here with me, and give me a cuddle” Scott tells him, opening up the blanket and he is grateful when Alan takes up his invitation and snuggles up next to him. 

“Tell me a story” Alan demands, his head resting against Scott’s chest. 

Scott knows that there is no more sleep to be had now! wrapping his arms around Alan, Scott starts to think. Before smiling to himself. 

“I am going to tell you a story that I have never told anyone before. This is the story of the day you were born…” Scott starts, knowing that he does at least have his youngest brothers undivided attention.

*TB*

It is nearly mid-day before all five boys are awake and ready for the day, John being the last one down having been up late the night before working on a project for school. 

“Afternoon sleepy head” Jeff greets him with a grin as he slides across a plate of freshly cooked pancakes towards the red head. 

Johns hair is growing down past his eyes, and he has to brush it back with his hand before he can see clearly, and he doesn’t bother replying to his father’s sarcastic comment! 

“Where is everyone?” he asks instead, realising that the house is quiet for once. 

“Scott has taken Gordon and Alan swimming and Virgil is using the peace and quiet to watch that documentary on Picasso he has been trying to finish for the last week. What are your plans for the day now that you have dragged yourself out of your pit?” Jeff asks. There is still sarcasm in his voice, but they both know it is good natured, and that Jeff doesn’t have a problem with his children having a lazy morning every now and again. 

“I was going into town later to meet up with James and Gary. There is a movie we want to go and see, and then we are going bowling” John tells him. “There is a bus at two so you don’t need to worry, and I have money” John confirms.

“Be back by eleven” Jeff tells him. “And make sure you take your phone just in case I need to get hold of you, and don’t talk to strangers, stay in the areas of town that are well lit, if you need a ride home call me or take a cab if you can’t get hold of me or Scott. Stay safe, and be careful” 

“Dad, please! You act like I am ten years old. I know how to behave! I am not Gordon” John reminds him.

“I know, but I worry about you too you know” Jeff admits. 

John likes the feeling that his father cares about him, but he is never going to admit it! “Thanks dad. And thanks for breakfast it was great. See you later” 

John loves this feeling of freedom, and he is old enough and mature enough to handle it.

John knows he needs to hurry, taking a quick shower and washing the last remnants of sleep from his face before dressing in a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and the warmest hoodie he owns. A birthday present from Scott. Dark blue with the NASA logo appliqued across the front.

“BYE DAD!” he shouts as he walks out the door, his wallet and phone safely enclosed within the pocket of his hoodie.

“HAVE FUN!” Jeff calls back, having just put a stuffed chicken in the oven, knowing that Scott will be back soon with Trouble, and miniature Trouble, and that all three will be hungry. 

John runs down the driveway, past the outdoor see through pod Virgil is ensconced in while he works on a painting of the house, his battery powered heater preventing him from feeling the cold, having gotten inspired by the documentary, and out to the main road to wait for his ride. 

Deep down John knows that lying to his father is never a good idea, and if caught he runs the risk of being grounded until he graduates from college! But this is worth it, this is the first time he has been invited to a party with no adults to chaperone and he can’t wait. 

The car is full when it pulls up, but they squeeze him into the front seat in between Gary and Gary’s elder brother who is driving. The car is noisy, with the laughter of the inhabitants drowning out the radio which is blaring in the background. 

“What did you tell your nosy big brother?” Gary asks.

“He was out with the brats when I got up, I made sure he wasn’t around before I even thought about going downstairs. Because Scott can sniff a lie from a mile away, interfering old bat!” John replies laughing. “But my father thinks that we are going to the cinema and then bowling, he has no idea what we are really doing!” 

The party is already in full swing when they arrive, the first thing John does Is pop his phone into flight mode to stop his father or Scott from tracking him as he helps himself to a beer. 

They all gather in the lounge to watch a football game on the television. John may not be a big fan of football, but he has spent many hours watching both Scott and Virgil play for their high school team, and he has just made the school team himself. He may hate football, but it is one more thing to put on his college applications. 

The house is getting louder as the afternoon wears on, and Gary has switched on the patio heating, in order for the guests to spread out a bit. The music is pounding in Johns ears, as he drinks another beer. How many he has drunk now; he has no idea. Night is beginning to fall, and with it comes a further onslaught of guests. But these guests have not been invited and bring more than just beer.

The one who corners him is a senior at the high school he attends, that he knows by sight if not by name. He is dressed all in black, with his hood drawn up over his head. “You want something to take the edge off?” he asks John, his dark eyes flashing with the threat of saying no. 

John does not want to take drugs; this is not what he came here for. He came here to have a good time with his friends and watch the game. This is not what he signed up for. “Erm…” John hesitates. 

“Oh come on, it is just a bit of weed, don’t tell me you are so virginal that you have never even smoked a joint?” there is laughter in his eyes as he pins John against the wall. “Everyone else is. Look around you. Don’t be such a baby!” 

John has never even set eyes on a joint, let alone smoked one, but the last thing he wants is to look like a nerd among his friends. Accepting the joint, John walks away. His heart is pounding with the fear of getting caught, but he knows that he really does not want to smoke it. 

Slipping It into the pocket of his hoodie, his fingers brush against his phone and with it he is hit by an overwhelming urge to be at home with his brothers, listening to them argue over the last potato at dinner, or throwing peas at each other. 

It is getting colder the longer he stays out here, and he can’t find any one he recognises, not even Gary and it is his house. 

“HEY JOHN?!” a voice calls from behind him, and to his relief it is Garys older brother Dave. 

“HI!” John calls back, simply happy to be in the company of someone he knows. 

“What did Irv give you earlier?” Dave asks, he has a beer in one hand while a pizza box is rested on the other. 

“This” John replies, holding out the joint. 

“Oh for fucks sake, I told him he wasn’t allowed to deal to my brothers friends. Give it here” Dave says to him in disgust, handing over his beer for John to hold.

“I want to go home” John tells him. “It is freezing here, and it stopped being fun a long time ago” 

“Go upstairs and into Gary’s room, him and James complained about the same thing earlier. Maybe you guys should have gone bowling!” Dave tells him. But he doesn’t sound disappointed that his party is such a flop with his brothers’ friends, he looks proud that they are mature enough to turn down the drugs. “Take the pizza with you” 

It is much warmer upstairs, and John is grateful to find his two best friends lying on the bed with a movie on in the background. They have gathered enough beer to keep them entertained and welcome him into the room to help devour the pizza. 

“You know, I think that bowling would have been a lot more fun” Gary says once John has gotten settled on the bed with them. they are sitting side-by-side with the pizza spread across their legs. 

“That’s just what I was thinking” John replies laughing. “Not that this hasn’t been fun, it’s just not what I was expecting. I can’t believe it is only eight thirty, this party feels like it has lasted for days” 

“Being a grown up at an adult party legit sucks!” Gary replies before he downs the rest of his beer. 

“At least it is warm here” John replies, picking the peppers off his pizza slice and leaving them to one side. Before he starts on another beer. He is starting to feel sleepy now he is inside and comfortable, and he has lost track on the beer he has consumed. It is causing him to feel lightheaded and tipsy as the three boys laugh and joke about everything that they would rather be doing. 

“I will go and get more beer” John announces, slurring his words and no longer sober enough to walk in a straight line. Laughing as he hits his shoulder on the door frame.

Downstairs is chaos, the music of blaring so loud that you can’t hear your own voice and there are bodies of drunken and stoned teenagers draped all over the place. on the floor, propped up against the walls. John staggers into the kitchen, stepping on broken glass, and into sticky spilled beer on the floor. He vaguely notices the broken vases, and the smashed ornaments and if he were sober, he would feel guilty about it all. 

The clock on the wall is now reading eleven twenty-five, and he is late getting home, but the last thing on his mind now is getting home. He just wants more beer. 

“JACKPOT!” he cries, as he finds an entire crate unopened and is about to lift it up into his arms when the door flies open and three police officers, wearing riot shields and pointing guns into the room burst in causing him to jump in fright. 

“GET DOWN ON THE FLOOR” the first officer screams at him, John doesn’t hesitate to lie down on his stomach, which has just hatched a thousand live butterflies which are fluttering in his belly and cause the pizza and beer to make a sudden reappearance all over the floor. He finds himself being pinned to the floor, by what feels like a knee in his back as his arms are dragged uncomfortably behind him and metal cuffs are snapped onto his wrists, pinching his skin, but he knows better than complain. 

He is hoisted up right, and lead from the house and into the back of one of the police cars that have answered the calls from their neighbours regarding an illegal rave. 

John has never been inside a police station before, and he is frightened and nervous as he is thrown into a cell with several of his fellow party goers, but no one he recognises. 

Looking around at the cage, it is devoid of personality. There is a hard metal bench along the back wall, and a toilet and sink. Three of the walls are solid concrete and the fourth is made from solid steel bars and looks out on to a corridor lit artificially. 

It feels like hours before someone comes to collect him, having been stripped of his phone and wallet before being thrown in the cell, John has no way of knowing what the time is. 

The custody officer in charge takes him from the cell and into a small interview room to make his one allowed phone call.

John stares at the phone for a long time, unsure if he should call his father, Scott or Grandmother. 

“You’re running out of time Tracy, make the call or you are going back in the cage” the officer announces. 

Terrified, John begins to dial.

*TB*

Jeff called the police at five minutes past eleven, worried sick when John didn’t show up, with his phone going straight to voicemail, he is imagining the worst. His precious child lying in a ditch seriously injured or worse. 

Alan and Gordon are still up, refusing to go to sleep while Johnny is missing. All four boys are sitting on the living room sofa, Gordon sitting in between Scott and Virgil while Alan is sitting on Scott’s lap, his thumb in his mouth and tears falling down his face silently. John wouldn’t just disappear on them. Not after their mom, he wouldn’t leave them like this. 

Jeff’s phone starts bleeping with an incoming call, and he sucks in a deep breath as he swipes his finger across the screen to answer the call.

“John?!” he gasps.

“Yeah, dad. I am in trouble” John tells him. 

Jeff’s heart skips a beat. This is a ransom call, his boy has been snatched he just knows it.

“Where are you?” Jeff asks. 

“Prison” John tells him, his voice full of shame. 

“PRISON?!” Jeff explodes. “WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO? LET ME SPEAK TO THE OFFICER!” 

There is a silence on the line before the officer takes over. 

“Mr Tracy?” the officer asks, “I am officer Brady. We are willing to release John into your custody if you are able to collect him” 

“Is he okay?” Jeff asks. 

“Still a little bit drunk, but he’s getting there. He is not injured if that’s what you mean” Officer Brady reassures him. “He along with twenty others were arrested attending an illegal rave at a local residence. He was bought in while incoherently drunk just after midnight, I have had to wait until he was sober enough to get the details from him.” 

“It is nearly four now, can you keep him over night, teach him a lesson!” Jeff asks. 

“He will have to attend a court hearing on Monday morning, we can keep him until then if you wish” Officer Brady replies with a grin, knowing that John can hear every word.

“What is going to happen to him?” Jeff asks.

“A fine of up to five hundred dollars and community service” Officer Brady replies. 

“That’s fair, tell him I will be there to collect him for court on Monday morning. And that any fines payable are coming out of his college fund” Jeff says, his voice is harsh.

“Will do, have a nice weekend Mr Tracy” Officer Brady says before hanging up the phone. 

Jeff is furious, as he throws his phone down onto the sofa in disgust. 

“What happened dad?” Scott asks. 

“The idiot boy got arrested on a drunk and disorderly and will be remaining in jail until Monday!” Jeff informs the boys.

“Arrested?!” Scott asks in horror. “Are you serious?” 

“Yes, I am serious, and when I get him home, he is going to military school!” Jeff replies. “Now you lot get to bed” 

The boys flee the room and gather in Scott’s room rather than going to bed. 

“I don’t want Johnny to be sent away” Alan announces tearfully.

“Me neither” Gordon adds, he too is close to tears.

“We won’t, can you remember the time you flooded the hotel in Hawaii?” Scott asks Gordon. 

“Yeah, dad said he was going to ship me to military school then” Gordon replies.

“And you are still here Fish” Scott reminds him, ruffling his hair. 

“True. Scott, I don’t want to sleep on my own” Gordon tells him, still scared that his big brother is going to be sent away. 

“Nor me” Alan adds.

“Do you Want to sleep in my bed Squid?” Virgil asks.

Gordon just nods his head exhaustedly before following Virgil back to his room.

“Alan why don’t you stay here?” Scott asks. 

Alan just climbs into Scott’s bed and wraps the blanket around himself, tears still falling. 

*TB*

John is curled up on the metal bench in his cage, his head is pounding now he is sober and he would do anything to sleep in his own bed. He can’t stop the feelings of terror. His life is over, he will never get into college or NASA with a criminal record. He is going to be relegated to flipping burgers until he drops dead from exhaustion, and his family are not going to want anything to do with him.

He is left in the cell for twenty-four hours, and he has not had a wink of sleep. The food when it is served is cold and congealed and reminds him of his Grandmas cooking, and he would even eat her lasagne without complaint right now. 

The days are barely distinguishable from the nights, as he gets used to being locked in a single room. He has been moved from the holding cell and into a smaller more private one. This one is equipped with a hard bed, with a thin mattress and blanket and has more of a permanent home about it. 

He tries everything to keep his mind occupied, star jumps, sit ups, pull ups but nothing works, and he really needs a shower and a change of clothing. And his brothers, he would even settle for Gordon pulling a prank on him right now. 

The cage is cold and there is a distinctive draft coming in from the window with its inadequate glazing. The bars on the outside drive home the trouble he is in, as the darkness of his second night in jail gives way to the pale pink sunrise of the Monday morning. 

Normally by now he would be having breakfast with his brothers. Laughing at one of Gordons silly jokes, eating his way through a stack of toast and helping Alan with the homework he was supposed to have done days before.

Instead he is sitting up in bed, his back against the cold hard concrete wall behind him, hugging his knees. He has never smelt so bad in his life and has been denied access to even his basic rights to shower and brush his teeth.

Dragging himself off the bed, John washes his face in cold water from the sink rinsing away his tears, before taking his morning walk which is laps of the cell while he waits for someone to deliver his breakfast.

Only this time it is not a police officer, it is his father standing there holding a change of clothing for him and a look of shock and disbelief on his face. 

“Get dressed, we are meeting with my lawyer before court” Is Jeffs way of greeting him throwing him the suit.

John gratefully pulls on his suit. Noticing that it is the same suit Virgil wore to a formal party over the summer and thankfully it fits fairly well with a belt to pull it in at the waist. Jeff helps him with the tie before leading him out of his cage and back into the waiting area where Jeffs lawyer is waiting for him.

The only advice John is given is be polite and respectful to the judge and plead guilty to the charge of underage drinking, which he has organised a plea bargain of eighty hours community service in waiver of a fine or jail time, and providing that he does not get into further trouble then his record will be expunged on his eighteenth birthday. 

“It is the best we can hope for in the circumstances John” Jeff confirms. “And they have allowed me to bring you to court myself and not in the back of a police van. We will discuss your punishment in full when we get home, because If you think I am letting you off lightly you have another think coming young man.” 

“Yes father” John says to his father, before following him out of the prison and into the back of his waiting car.

The journey from the prison to the local courthouse is one fraught is a silent tension between father and son and John is grateful when the driver Jeff hired pulls up outside the building.

Father and son are shown to a waiting room and forced to wait for nearly four hours until being called into the court room. 

Like a jail cell, John has never seen the inside of a court before, and despite his anxiety he can’t help but look around in wonder. His first thought is that it looks nothing like the ones on the television do! There is a judge, but no crowds or jury. There isn’t even a space for a jury in this room. 

John takes his seat next to his lawyer as his father takes up residence behind the pair. 

“All Rise” the only other person in the room announces. 

John gets to his feet, as the man here to judge him arrives in the room. He looks stern, and cruel and about to sentence him to twenty-five years to life in prison. John can feel his teeth nibbling his upper lip while he silently vows never to drink alcohol again.

“Be seated, the honourable Judge Sheldon will precede.” The bailiff announces, and John instantly sits back down. He is afraid of this man, he isn’t going to deny it.

“John Tracy, you have pleaded guilty to one count of being drunk underage, is that correct?” Judge Sheldon asks.

“Yes Sir” John replies, as politely calm and collected as he can manage, even though he is certain that the Judge can hear his heart beating.

“And you have taken full responsibility for your actions?” 

“Yes Sir” that is not a lie, John is truly sorry for causing so much distress.

“Okay, I am prepared to offer you a reduced sentence of eighty hours of community service, and you will submit to this court ever week for the next eighteen months to ensure that you are not breaking the no alcohol rule I am imposing on you. One failed test and you will face a fine of up to five hundred dollars and a second one will see you bought back here and you will face a potential stretch in a juvenile facility.” 

“Yes Sir, I understand Sir” John says to the judge. 

“Good. Case dismissed” the Judge says, and John walks out of the court a free man. 

*TB*

Jeff allows John to take a hot shower once he has finally gotten home. Finally scrubbing the prison dirt from his hair and skin, John finally feels clean as he gets into fresh pyjamas and into bed. Stretching out in the luxury that is his own bed John falls asleep quickly and is snoring peacefully when his brothers return home from school.

He is abruptly woken up when he senses that he is no longer alone. Opening an eye to four beings in the room, he starts to smile. 

“JOHNNY! YOU GOT OUT OF THE CAGE!” Gordon cries, jumping up on his bed. “I missed you” 

“I missed you too Squid, do me a favour, never get arrested!” John tells him, hugging him close to his chest. 

“Daddy is going to send you to military school” Alan informs him, also climbing up onto the bed. 

“I know, and I deserve it” John tells him, looking at the broken hearted looks on his brothers faces, John starts to cry. “I really messed up and I am so sorry, but I love you guys, and I will love you no matter how far away I am” 

“We will come and help you escape Johnny” Gordon insists. “We can’t lose you” 

“We will skype, every day” John replies, sitting up on the bed and holding both of his youngest brothers while all three of them cry. 

Scott and Virgil sit down on the bed either side of them and join in their emotional group hug. 

“It is only a few weeks until the Christmas holidays, you guys can cope without me until then right?” John asks.

“NO!” Alan cries. “without you we aren’t the Tracy brothers. It wont work without all of us” 

“No it won’t” Gordon confirms. 

The boys don’t know it, but Jeff is outside the door listening to every word being said, and he knows that he can’t split the boys up now.

Slowly sliding the door open, the sight of them all cuddled up together hurts his conscience, and he knows that John has been punished enough.

“I am not sending you away John” he confirms. “However you are grounded until New Year and will not be allowed out of the house without adult supervision. I will hire a car to take you to school and back, no after school activities – astronomy club, football, track – they are all of limits. You will babysit your brothers without complaint, and you have lost your allowance until new year too.” 

“Really?” John asks. Everything he has just been told doesn’t matter, he can cope without it all as long as he is allowed to stay with his brothers. 

“Really” Jeff tells him sitting down on the bed. “You need to be punished John, but this family wouldn’t be as amazing without you” 

“I love you guys” John says.

“We love you too Space case!” Scott replies smiling.

“That reminds me Scott, you owe me twenty bucks” Virgil says with a grin “I told you that Gordon would not be the first Tracy to get Jailed!”


	5. Where Do You Think You're Going?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alan + Gordon + Failed Escape.
> 
> the two youngest Tracys have got themselves kidnapped, will they get out on their own or will they just have to wait for the inevitable and their brothers to come and save them?

“Gordon?” Alan hisses in the darkness. “Are you okay?” 

“No, Allie My arm hurts” Gordon replies. This is a lie, his right arm feels like it has been shattered just below the elbow but he knows that there is nothing that he can do about it from here, and moaning will cause his younger brother to panic. 

The room is dark and filled with an earthy aroma leaving the two boys feeling like they are buried deep in the earth. 

“They are looking for us Gordon, they will never let us die down here” Alan says to his elder brother, as he crawls his way across the room to where Gordon is lying slumped against the back wall, his arm clutched to his chest, whimpering in pain.

“What did they do to you?” Alan asks. 

“I fell when we landed in this pit” Gordon replies. “They didn’t hurt me, which is what is so weird about this, we were just tasered and thrown down here. Why?” Why would someone call for International Rescue just to throw us in this hole?” 

The pain is increasing exponentially the longer his lies here, his head resting against Alans shoulder, his eyelids painfully heavy as he struggles to remain alert.

“Get some rest, I will try and figure out how we can get out of here” Alan tells him, trying to hide his own fears to stay strong for his fallen sibling. 

Gordon doesn’t react, and Alan realises to his horror that he is no longer with him. His breathing is shallow and slow and he subconsciously tries to keep himself breathing. 

Alan carefully lies Gordon down on the ground, wishing that he had a blanket to keep him warm. Using his fingers to feel his way around the solid mud walls, Alan realises that there is just one small chance of escape, as one of the walls is sloped rather than the other vertical inclines of their prison.

Cursing the moment they were caught unawares and stripped of all their equipment, but he remembers Virgil’s trip to London with Grandma a few years ago, when they were attacked by the luddites. A group of self-proclaimed eco-warriors determined to rid the world of power and return to the dark ages. They coped, and so will he. 

He can do this. it is like his Grandma always says, it is the Tracy who makes the hero. Digging his feet into the wall, Alan starts to scramble up the slope. It is slow going. His hands scrape against stray stones, ripping and tearing his palms and exposed knees. He is angry with his captors who have stripped him of his suit and left him so helpless. 

Twice he makes it halfway up the wall before being unable to stop himself from falling back down, and now it is getting harder and harder to try again. But he has too, Gordon is relying on him to get help, and there is no way he is letting his brother down.

Once more Alan gets to his feet and starts to attack the wall. One painful step after the other. Grip the wall with his foot, slid his hand up, move the opposite foot, move the hand. His ankle twists painfully as he jams his foot into what feels like solid rock. Swearing loudly Alan falls back to the floor, his back smacking the hard ground knocking the air out of his lungs. 

He can’t try again. His battered and bruised body screams at him if he tries to move. 

“Allie?” Gordon calls, his brothers cries having bought him back to consciousness. “Are you okay?” 

“No” Alan admits, “I can’t get us out of here Gordy. We are going to die down here. They are never going to find us” 

Gordon unsteadily gets to his feet clutching his broken arm to his chest still, and wincing in pain as he joins Alan, pulling him into a one-armed hug.

“We will get out of here. What is the motto of International Rescue?” Gordon asks.

“Never give up” Alan replies. 

“Good. Now get back on your feet and let’s get out of this damned hole!” Gordon tells him grinning. 

With Gordon as his own personal cheer leader, Alan makes it up to the top, pushing the cover inch by inch, forcing it back. There is light shining into the hole now, and Alan realises that he is outside. But where he has no idea. 

“Stay there Gords, I am going for help” Alan calls back, knowing that he has no way of rescuing his injured brother, without help.

“Okay, bring me a milkshake!” Gordon requests, as Alan rolls his eyes and starts off along the path hoping that this leads to the road. Knowing that he needs to get a message to his brothers, and despite everything he knows that they will be worrying about them. Scott especially can’t help himself.

“WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING?!” a deep voice from behind calls. 

Alan blanches and turns around. 

“How dare you attempt to escape from me, just as I was going to feed you!” 

“Who are you?” Alan asks, desperately stalling for time. 

“Oh sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I am your worst nightmare” the man replies. “Now, are you going to get back in the hole like a good little boy or am I going to have to throw you in?” 

“Why are you doing this?” Alan asks.

“Simple really, I heard a rumour that you have a really rich family and I need the money. Now are you going back in the hole for me?” 

“No, you are going to have to force me. My brothers are looking for us, and you will be sorry” Alan replies his voice full of defiance he doesn’t feel. 

“Very well, I tried to be nice” the man grabs the taser from his pocket and aims it for Alans rib cage. But he has vastly underestimated the reflexes of the boy who has been personally trained in self defence by Kayo! Alan kicks the taser out of his hand, swinging his leg into the mans groin and he doubles up in pain before falling to his knees. Alan takes the taser and forces it into his ribs in retaliation for what he has put him and Gordon through, laughing unkindly as a dark wet stain spreads across his trousers. 

“What’s wrong?” Alan asks. “Did that hurt?” 

“You… Will… regret… that…” he tells Alan viciously, as his accomplice tackles Alan to the ground via his knees. 

“You really think I was stupid enough to work alone? Avery throw him back in the pit!” the first man calls out. 

“You said my name?!” Avery cries in shock, the paranoia causing him to slacken his grip on Alan as he glares at his partner. 

“Get him back in that pit. Or you will be joining him” the still anonymous villain demands of Avery. 

“Avery, you don’t have to do this” Alan pleads. “My brother is hurt down there and we can go and get him help” 

“SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!” Avery screams, his fist flying into Alans face with every word spoken. Alan can taste the blood in his mouth as he is forced to swallow his own tooth as it is forcibly ripped from his gum, and he is starting to wish he had not even tried to get out and get help. Better off down there with Gordon, taking care of his brother than up here being beaten to death. 

Avery forces him to his feet and starts to drag him back to the pit, as his hooded accomplice watches on, his mouth has formed a sadistic smile, and his eyes are covered with reflective sunglasses, so Alan is unable to see his eyes instead only his own battered and bloody face staring back at him, as he feels more skin being torn from his legs as he is roughly dragged back to the hole. 

*TB*

“Tell me again how you found us?” Alan asks. They have been home now for three weeks, and Alan has still not got tired of hearing about their rescue. Emergency dental surgery has fixed his gapped teeth, and Gordon is still making jokes about him having to keep him teeth in a jar, but Alan is so grateful that they are okay that he doesn’t even retaliate. Yet! 

Gordon has a bright yellow waterproof fibre glass cast on his right arm, an invention of Brains’ which allows him to go swimming while the affected limb is still healing. 

The boys are gathered in the lounge, and it is early evening. Scott smiles indulgently at Alan.

“Do you think that we were ever going to not find you?” Scott asks. “The second we realised that you hadn’t come back, we set up a search party. We found your discarded clothing about a mile away from where they were keeping you, but that is never the only way we keep tabs on you. We had Eos tracking life signs and eventually got you tracked down to the pit. Avery and Hill were lying unconscious on the floor having fought and killed each other.”

“Hill?” Alan asks interrupting. 

“Yeah, have we not told you that was his name?” Virgil asks. 

“No” Alan insists. 

“Well, him. They were both dead, and we couldn’t find you anywhere. I had no idea that they had you underground, then your fingers appeared from nowhere, and I realised that they had you buried. Honestly Al, I have no idea how you were still alive. We got you out and you collapsed at my feet. Your face was a mess. You couldn’t even open your right eye and the only thing you would say to us was ‘save Gordon’ you have no self-preservation at all.” Scott tells him fondly. 

“I would have done the same, but I couldn’t even wriggle my fingers” Gordon tells Scott. 

“Oh I know you would have, neither of you have any self-preservation skills!” Scott tells him with a grin.

“But you love us anyway right?” Alan asks.

“Unconditionally Allie” Scott replies, wrapping his arms gingerly around his shoulders, ever careful not to touch the still tender and sore bruising which is still covering most of the skin on his back, arms, legs and face. “Now let’s get some lunch, I heard that Grandma is making your favourite!”


	6. Please....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lady Penelope + Get it out + No More
> 
> Surely evolution has a better way than this by now?!

One drunken New Years Eve should never have left her in this state. She knows that it was her choice to marry him, and she knows that she loves him. But right now if she were to never see him again it would not bother her! 

Humans have roamed the earth for thousands of years, yet evolution has not found an easier and less painful way for her to give birth! 

Gordon to his credit, has not left her side for the thirteen hours she has been in labour. The bones in his left hand will probably need reconstructive surgery after she has finished squeezing the life out of it with every contraction. 

Lying on her back in the private birthing suite of their nearest mainland hospital, Lady Penelope is exhausted. The baby is as stubborn as his father and refused to budge from his comfortable bed inside her womb. Where she is sure he would have happily stayed forever, feeding off her placenta and swimming in the amniotic fluid having the time of his life, if the doctors had not induced her labour. 

Her husband broke his leg, arm and several ribs three years ago, and there is no way that was more painful than this! 

Another painful contraction starts, squeezing her insides. “Push now Penelope” her midwife is calling, as she once again grabs on to the nearest part of Gordon she can reach.

“THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT TRACY!” she screams, as she pushes again. “PLEASE JUST GET IT OUT!” 

Gordon lost the circulation in his fingers an hour ago, but he doesn’t move. Determined more than ever to stay right by her side. “Focus the anger Sweetheart, you’re doing great” Gordon tells her, using the spray bottle on the side table to spray the cool water onto her forehead. 

“I swear Gordon if you come near me again, I will chop your balls off!” Lady Penelope tells him. 

“I love you too dear” Gordon replies. 

“DON’T patronise me” She snaps back angrily before yet another wave of pain hits her abdomen and she lets out another gut-wrenching cry. 

Gordon doesn’t get the opportunity to reply, as the midwife who he had forgotten was even in the room calls out that she can see the babies head, and just one more big push and it will all be over. 

“No” Lady Penelope whimpers. “Please Gordon, no more. I can’t” she says to him, admitting defeat. She was never cut out to give birth or be a mother and she has failed in what should be the most natural thing in the world for any woman. 

Gordon takes both her hands in his, and gazes into the clear blue eyes he fell in love with so many years before. “Would it help if I sing to you?” he asks. 

The question does exactly what he had hoped for, and distracts her from her own misery, and she snorts with laughter before her whole-body shudders with that one final contraction, and the baby is pushed out into the world and into the arms of the waiting midwife. 

The baby, unhappy at being disturbed from his safe place starts to wail. His tiny but perfectly formed fists are scrunched up in anger. Gordon, under the midwifes instruction cuts and ties the umbilical cord, before placing their son in her waiting arms for the first time. 

He already has a full head of hair, the exact same shade as his fathers, and is staring up at her with his eyes, quiet now that he is swaddled in a soft blanket. Her miniature Gordy. Her face is glowing with happiness, all thoughts of pain forgotten as she looks into the eyes of her precious first born, before gazing back at her husband and smiling. 

“No, please don’t sing to me!” she finally answers him, lying back against the pillow in relief that the ordeal is over and vowing that if Gordon wants more children then he can be the one giving birth!


	7. I've Got You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caretakeer to the enemy - International Rescue + the Chaos Crew. 
> 
> just my take on how the chaos crews subplot would have been a lot more interesting!

“The Chaos Crew, they’re here” is Kayos warning. 

The boys have gone, the Zero XL has launched without a hitch, despite the Hood and his Chaos Crews best efforts. But the Chaos Crew have vanished without a trace. Leaving Kayo with a deep uneasy feeling about this whole mission. Just where are they? She thinks as Lady Penelope and Parker jump into FAB1, the only underwater vehicle left to them to affect a rescue operation seeing as Thunderbird four has been launched into deep space. 

“Any sign Penny?” Kayo asks breathlessly, she knows that she will be unable to focus her attentions on anything else until the boys are home again, and this “distraction” is the last thing she needs right now. 

“No, they have simply disappeared” Lady Penelope answers. She too is concerned not for the Chaos Crews well being but the inhabitants of Tracy Island. With two vicious criminals with no conscience on the loose flash backs of her last encounter with their destruction almost cost her a large part of herself.

“Come back to the Island” Kayo replies before ringing off. 

Parker is just about to turn the car around when she spots a flash of purple, buried deep under the debris. Just like her beloved Gordon just a few short months before. 

She wants to leave them there, to let them know how it feels to be utterly abandoned and left to die. It is no less than they deserve. 

A vision of Gordon lying on her lap, his body so broken, so vulnerable and so desperate to be rescued brings her out of her trance. 

“Over there” she calls to Parker, pointing to the right where the Cruiser is buried. Spotting Fuse lying against the windshield, his eyes closed. There is a trickle of blood snaking its way down the side of him head, and all thoughts of leaving the pair to their fate here drain from her brain. 

The front of the Cruiser has been smashed and there is water seeping into the main body of the vehicle.

A spare helmet under her arm, Lady Penelope steadily makes her way across to the Cruiser, her flippered feet powering her swimming, before she climbs in through the freshly made entrance and into the cockpit. 

“No, you won’t take me alive!” Havoc announces. A large piece of metal in her hand. The only weapon she could find. Her eyes flash with the defiance of someone who knows that their game is over but is unwilling to admit it. These two have been outsmarted at every turn, and the indignation and humiliation has taken its toll on the previously arrogant young woman. 

“I am not going to hurt you; and believe me that is taking all of my self-control right now. Fuse needs urgent medical attention, and if you truly care for your brother then you would help me help him.” Lady Penelope replies, her voice is harsh and uncaring. She is only saving their lives because she knows that she couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t at least try. 

The fight dies in Havocs heart. Fuse is the only one she does care about and abandoning him here is not an option. She can’t let her brother go to jail without her, she can’t break the vow they made to always stick together now when things are tough. 

There is a sigh. Before she raises her head to look Lady Penelope in the eyes. “What do you need me to do?” she asks. 

“Help me get the spare helmet on him, we need to get him back to the Island.” Lady Penelope replies, her voice clipped and all business.

He is heavy, and difficult to manipulate into the correct position. They wordlessly work together. Lady Penelope on his left side, and Havoc on his right as they hoist him up onto their shoulders. “I’ve got you” Lady Penelope reassures the still unconscious Fuse, before they leave the Cruiser to rust at the bottom of the ocean.

*TB*

“Where am I?” Fuse asks, once he has regained consciousness. The room is dimly lit, but the walls are a light shade of green with bright water coloured paintings adorning them, neatly framed. The bed he is lying in, has his arms restrained to the bars raised on either side and his brain is throbbing in his skull. 

“Tracy Island” a familiar voice replies to his question.

“Havoc? What happened?” He asks.

“When the launch bay disintegrated, the Cruiser became trapped in the debris. I couldn’t leave you, you’re the only family I have” Havoc says. 

She has not bothered to fight the restraints on her own wrists. She no longer has a desperate desire to destroy International Rescue. They chose their lives, after everything they have done. 

“Oh good, you’re awake” Kayo says, walking into the room having gotten changed out of her uniform. “Where is my uncle?” she demands, not bothering to ask about his condition or welfare. 

“Onboard the Zero XL” Havoc tells her. Havoc despises her boss’s niece. This girl has everything she wants. Havoc joined the Hood thinking that he could make him forget about his precious Tanusha. The woman is a traitor but he has never seen that. It has never mattered what she does, she is constantly compared to little miss perfect, and she is grateful that Tanusha had nothing to do with saving their lives. The idea of being in debt to this loathsome creature fills Havoc with a hatred that makes her want to burst out of these chains and throw her into the ocean.

To her pleasure Kayos green eyes darken with anger as the realisation that the Chaos Crew were sent to distract her from their main plans. To get the Hood onboard the Zero XL. 

“Get ready to leave, the GDF will be here shortly to escort you both to prison, and I will be there in the front row when you are both jailed for what you have done to my family” Kayo says, her words directed towards Havoc even though she would be happy to see them both caged for the rest of their lives.

“Your family?” Havoc spits in derision. “They are not your family; you were just the stray they took in. Do you really think if you weren’t willing to risk your life for them, they would still care? Wake up Kayo you are a Kyrano, not a Tracy” 

Kayo has had these doubts herself, when they have their boy’s nights in while she is flying Shadow around the island on perimeter duty. Then she remembers the times Alan saved her from cleaning duty, or from one of Grandmas cakes. Family is not just blood; they are her brothers. 

Fuse has been quietly watching the confrontation with a sinking heart. He knows that he doesn’t deserve this, and that he should have been left at the bottom of the ocean. Remembering the deathly white face of Gordon after the mission in the Maridata vent fields. A mission that bought home the seriousness of his job. Havoc is wrong, he knows that. They are the disposable ones, not Kayo. The Hood would replace them both with her if she ever decided she was going to work for him without a seconds thought. 

The thick white bandages wrapped around his head feel alien to him, as he struggles to sit up. 

“Lie back down” Kayo snaps before leaving the siblings alone and storming from the infirmary. She doesn’t want to admit it, but she knows that Havoc is right, it is difficult to keep the lines between being a member of International Rescue and being the niece of one of the most wanted men in the world.

Her hands involuntarily clasped into fists, as she storms up into the lounge where the Mechanic is sitting with Grandma. This is a man who they thought could not be redeemed but he proved everyone wrong. He has even stopped chasing Gordon through the house, accepting the teasing that can only come from their aquanaut. 

“Fuse is awake” Kayo announces on her way through the lounge and up the stairs to the upper level where her bedroom is located. Her job is done, and now she can finally be alone with her own conflicting and bitter thoughts. 

*TB*

Grandma Tracy goes to check on her patient. It may have been years since she was known as Doctor Tracy, but when there is someone who needs her help, her calling always fights hard to fix the person in front of her, it doesn’t matter who it is. 

“Hello Grandma” Fuse says to her sarcastically. He doesn’t mean to be sarcastic, but he is hurting. 

“That’s Mrs Tracy to you” Grandma replies. “My Grandsons have saved your life on more than one occasion, despite what you have done. You left my Gordon so gravely injured we thought we were going to lose him yet just weeks later Scott saved you. You nearly killed his younger brother but he still chose your life to save, yet here you are trying to stop them from doing their jobs. Just why do you hate International Rescue so much Fuse if that is even your real name?” 

I don’t” Fuse replies, unable to keep any eye contact with the shamefulness of his actions. “And it’s Clarence” 

“Well Clarence, I hope that you are proud of everything you have achieved, you will do great in prison!” Grandma tells him, her sympathy extends just long enough to administer the necessary treatment for the concussion, but she is not going to forgive him for his actions. 

*TB*

Stripped of their powers, Fuse and Havoc are easily loaded into the waiting GDF flier. Rigby, is standing stiffly to the side, ever the professional, as they wait for the return of the Zero XL, which has just been spotted returning to Earths atmosphere. 

Kayo joins him, after a rocky start to their working relationship, the two have become close friends. She knows that she likes him more than anyone she has ever liked before, even her brothers. He is uncomplicated and straight forward. Wrapping her arm around his waist, smiling when he reciprocates. 

“You and him?” Havoc asks in shock. From everything that she has researched about Kayo for the Hood, then it was expected that she would eventually marry Scott Tracy whether either of them wanted it or not. Inside pressures forcing them together against their will. 

“Forever” Kayo replies. “Why, are you jealous?” 

“No it was just unexpected. What happened to your arranged marriage to Scott?” Havoc asks. 

“MY WHAT?!” Kayo asks in shock.

“You have to marry one of the brothers, isn’t that why they took you in?” 

It is Grandma who answers her. “No, we took her in because your boss was threatening her life and the life of her father. She was an innocent child. But you know that he has no scruples or conscience. We never asked anything of her in return and she is free to leave at any time. Just like the boys are, if they want to leave and settle down and raise their own family then no one will stop them. This is a rescue organisation and not a dictatorship” 

“Thank you” Kayo replies.

*TB*

“Take them away” Colonel Casey announces, several hours later. An additional prisoner has been added, and he is absolutely furious with his Crews arrest, and vows to let them rot in prison when he can escape. 

Fuse is ready to accept his fate. Having his life saved once again by people he has wanted to destroy has finally given him the perspective he needs. 

But the hood and Havoc, they will never give up.


	8. Where did everybody go?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon + abandoned.
> 
> ever since his brother was born Gordon has felt a shift in his world. no longer able to cope with the feelings of abandonment Gordon decides it is time to grow up.

“Stott, I want to go to the park” Gordon demands, tugging his eldest brothers’ shirt. Too little to pronounce Scott’s name correctly, the little blonde flashes his large amber eyes at him. The eyes Virgil can’t resist but Scott is immune too, especially when he is trying to do his homework.

“Not now Gordon” Scott tells him, uncurling his fingers from his t-shirt. “Go and annoy someone else” 

Gordon bites back his tears by chewing on his lower lip. “I tried but they all said no” 

It has been like this ever since the baby was born. His mom spends all her time with the baby, his dad is always too busy for him, and John has never had any interest in playing with him. Virgil is in bed with a chest infection, or he would have taken him out. Gordon knows he would.

“So I was your last resort?” Scott asks rolling his eyes.

“What’s a last retort?” Gordon asks.

“ReSort” Scott repeats. “Learn to pronounce your words properly, you’re four years old. You aren’t a baby anymore Gordon, grow up and get out of here. No one wants a pest like you.” 

“Fine” Gordon replies pouting, before storming from the room. 

Scott goes back to struggling over his maths homework. Algebra is the most difficult thing he has ever had to tackle, and he doesn’t need his spoiled little brother interfering. 

Gordon has had enough of being abandoned. Until the baby was born, he was the baby, and they all loved him. Now he is just an inconvenience. Abandoned by his parents who prefer the baby, and his big brothers who prefer studying and being ill!

Scott said he was not a baby anymore, well now is his chance to prove to his brothers that they’re right. 

Gordon is going to the park!

He knows that he can’t be seen leaving the house without being spotted, but his mom is busy feeding the baby. He gives the baby a brief look of disgust as he sneaks past the living room and opens up the cupboard under the stairs for his shoes. 

Gordon still hasn’t quite figured out shoelaces, but there is a pair with Velcro straps he slides onto his bare feet, realising that his mom isn’t there to demand he wears socks makes him smile. There is a jar in the kitchen where his parents throw all their loose change, which he helps himself to a few dollars for ice cream. 

Being a grown up is easy. 

To his delight the front door has not been locked after his dad left for his business meeting this morning after breakfast, as he slips out into the bright sunshine and skips happily down the drive way and out onto the sidewalk running alongside the main road. 

The local park is heaven. It is home to swings and climbing frames and slides and an ice cream van. There is even a small pond home to hundreds of frogs. it is a sunny Saturday and the park is crowded with families all enjoying the early summer sun, which makes it easy for Gordon to blend in, and none of the adults there think to question why he is alone.

Gordon loves frogs, and that is where he goes first. Kicking his shoes off so he can go wading in the pond, giggling as the fish nibble his toes. “Stott doesn’t know what he is missing out on!” Gordon thinks as he chases after a frog as it leaps just out of his reach. 

The frogs keep him amused for an hour, but the sun is burning the back of his neck and arms and he is starting to feel thirsty and hot. He puts his shoes back on, taking the money from his pocket, hoping that he has bought enough with him for a slushy from the ice cream van.

Feeling shy for the first time now, as he approaches the van. “Do I have enuff for a slushy?” Gordon asks handing over his pilfered loot. 

“Where is your mommy or daddy?” the man asks concerned.

“Over der” Gordon replies, pointing out two random strangers with a smile. 

The man smiles back at him and hands him his slushy and change without any further questions. 

Gordon can’t believe how easy it is too lie as he starts to drink his icy cold drink, sitting on the grass near the pond, kicking his shoes off again to feel the grass between his toes. 

Throwing his empty cup into the recycling bin, Gordon heads over to the climbing frame, and joins in a game of chase. He has always been a sociable child, and he finds it easy to make friends with total strangers. 

Losing track of all time as he plays, Gordon doesn’t even think about going home until the park is nearly empty, as families start to head home for lunch. His own stomach is starting to rumble as he decides to go home. 

One more go on the park’s obstacle course, then he will go home he decides already climbing the bars to the top, and along the balance beam. 

He has done this a hundred times already, so it is a big shock when his foot slips and he is unable to stop himself from falling. His left leg smacks into the concrete floor, as the rest of his body falls the other way. stabbing pains shoot up his leg and he cries out in pain before bursting into tears.

*TB*

“Scott, lunch is ready. Can you come downstairs please” his mom asks, popping her head around the door. 

“Sure” Scott replies, stretching. 

“Have you seen Gordon?” Lucy asks. 

“Not for a while” Scott shrugs unconcerned. “He is probably with Virgil” 

“I will go and check.

Virgil is lying on his stomach on his bed, colouring a sketch he completed earlier but he is the only one in the room.

“Virgil, are you hungry sweetheart?” Lucy asks, placing her head on his forehead to make sure that his fever has not returned. 

“A little” Virgil replies. He has been on antibiotics all week, missing a full week of school and having very little appetite or energy. Today is the first day he has really felt hungry, and he has missed food. Getting up up and following her from his bedroom and downstairs into the kitchen where he finds Scott and John are waiting for him. 

“Where is Gordon?” Virgil asks realising straight away that he is not at the table. And Gordon never misses a meal! 

“We thought he was with you” Scott tells him. 

“No, I have been asleep, I only woke up about half an hour ago” Virgil replies. 

“So none of you have seen your brother?” Lucy asks, concerned now. 

“No” Virgil tells her.

Scott is staring at the sandwich on his plate. 

“Scott?” Lucy asks. Her eldest child is hiding something from her, she can always tell when her boys are lying. 

“He wanted me to take him to the park earlier, and I said no” Scott tells her, deliberately skipping the part where he was mean to him, his mom doesn’t need to know that. “He will be sulking somewhere” Scott insists. 

Lucy knows that Gordon has been feeling abandoned since the baby was born, even referring to his little brother as the baby and not Alan and she has vowed several times to spend more time with him, only for something to happen and then he gets forgotten about in the crossfire. 

Alan’s colic, John’s first science fair, Virgil’s chest infection, Scott’s school problems. She has always just expected Gordon to cope with all the changes in his life without complaint and now she’s lost him.

“Get your shoes on, all of you. We are going to look for your brother” Lucy insists. And if he isn’t at the park, then she is phoning the police.

Alan has been sitting in the living room in the bouncing chair, which was a gift from his grandma. He is crying loudly as he wants his own lunch, and his diaper is soaked. Getting him sorted into a clean and dry diaper and sleepsuit, Lucy is grateful that Jeff and she had the hindsight to purchase some emergency baby milk for when she is unable to feed her littlest one. 

“Scott, can you feed Allie for me?” she asks as her eldest comes into the room with his shoes on, not waiting for a reply before placing the still wailing baby into his arms with the bottle while she gets her own shoes on. She is still wearing the tank top and shorts she slept in and has not even thought to wear a bra as she leaps up the stairs two at a time and into the bedroom she shares with Jeff. Past Alans crib and into the wardrobe, pulling out jeans and a clean t-shirt. 

The park is less than five minutes away, with Scott taking charge of Alan’s pram they make their way down the road. 

“Mommy? What if we can’t find him?” Virgil asks seriously. 

“We will find him” Lucy replies. The words choke in her throat as she tries to sound more confident than she feels. 

The park entrance is now home to two police officers, as the family approach the main gate. 

“Stay here, I will go and speak to the officers” Lucy instructs Scott. “keep and eye on your brothers, and make sure they don’t leave your sight.” 

“Okay” Scott replies, trying to peer through the hedge to see if he can find out what is happening. 

“Excuse me officer, I am looking for my son. We think he snuck out of the house earlier” Lucy says to the first officer, taking out her phone and looking through the photos. Her heart breaks when she realises that the only photos she has taken of him are all where he is holding Alan, and she can’t even remember the last time it was just the two of them. no wonder he has been feeling so abandoned she thinks bitterly. 

The two officers look at the photo, before turning to look at each other. This is the child. The one being taken away in an ambulance. “Through here ma’am” the first officer says to her kindly. “He has had a bit of an accident, but there is an ambulance there with him now, and I am sure he will be fine” 

Lucy never heard anything after “accident” as she tears past them and into the park, running across the field followed by Scott, Virgil, John and Alan.

“Gordy?!” Lucy gasps in shock at the sight of her baby who is now lying on a stretcher being loaded into the ambulance. 

“Momma?” Gordon whimpers, still crying in shock and pain. 

“What happened?” She asks him.

“I wanted to be growed up like Stott but momma it hurts” Gordon replies as a way of an explanation. 

“Scott?” Lucy asks. “Just what did you say to him?” 

Scott is saved from the shame of replying by the ambulance driver who comes over to speak to Lucy. “I believe that you are his mother?”

“Yes, I am, what is it you need to know?” Lucy asks, following him round to the front of the ambulance and giving them the details they need about Gordon and his medical history. 

“YOU TOLD HIM WHAT!” Virgil explodes in anger, all feelings of his own illness forgotten as he throws Scott down onto the ground and brings his fist back to pound his older brother, who doesn’t bother to defend himself, Scott deserves to be punched.

“VIRGIL GET OFF HIM” Lucy shouts, the last thing she needs right now is for her two eldest to start a public brawl. 

Virgil is seething with anger as he allows Scott to stand up. “HE TOLD GORDON THAT WE DIDN’T WANT HIM!” he yells staring daggers at Scott. “THAT’S WHY HE LEFT ON HIS OWN.” 

“Scott? Is that true?” Lucy asks in shock. Scott is usually a wonderful big brother, but she knows that she hasn’t had time to spend with him recently, and she knows that the last few weeks have been difficult. 

“Yes” Scott replies, his face ashen with shame and he can’t look his own mother in the eyes. 

“We will talk about this later, right now we have to get Gordon to the hospital for an X-ray on his leg. Scott, we are going to go back to the house and then drive over and your father is going to meet us there. He will probably get there before we do. I would leave you home to babysit, but I don’t think I can trust you anymore” Lucy tells him, taking Alans pram and starting to leave the park. 

Scott starts to cry. 

“Oh no, don’t try the waterworks” Virgil hisses at him in anger, before he takes John’s hand and storms out of the park followed by Lucy, Alan and a still shame faced Scott. 7

The walk back to the house is fraught with tension, with Virgil and Scott refusing to speak to each other. 

*TB*

Waking up in the middle of the night, the first thing Gordon notices is his mom slumped in the chair next to his bed. His left leg feels weird, and heavy. Looking down at it he sees that it is covered in a large white cast which ends just below his hip. 

“Momma” he cries confused.

“Hey baby” Lucy replies, her eyes springing open at the sound of her voice. 

“Don’t feel good” Gordon tells her. His mouth is dry and his head hurts. 

“Where does it hurt Gords?” Lucy asks, already buzzing for the doctor. 

“My head hurts and I’m firsty and I don’t wanna be a growed up anymore” Gordon replies.

He has no idea that he has had an operation on his broken leg and remembers nothing from being loaded into the ambulance and now waking up, but he isn’t scared. He has his momma. 

Lucy lifts the glass of water to his lips and allows him to sip the cool clear liquid before she sits down on the bed next to him. Wrapped up in her arms, he feels safe now, as his head rests on her shoulder and he drifts back off to sleep.

This is not what she meant when she vowed to spend more time with her Gordy but being cuddled up with her little fish feels natural, and it is something that she has really missed.

Looking up when the door opens, one of the hospitals nurses is entering the room. “Is everything okay Mrs Tracy?” she asks.

“He woke up with a headache, but he has already fallen asleep again” Lucy informs her. 

“Okay, let me know if you need anything else” the nurse replies, before leaving them in peace. 

*TB*

Jeff brings Scott in to visit the following afternoon. They find Gordon sitting up in bed, watching Finding Nemo for what must be the millionth time. 

“Daddy!” Gordon greets him enthusiastically, trying to get out of bed.

“Stay still Fish” Jeff tells him with a grin, before bending down to give him a hug. 

“How are you feeling?” Scott asks nervously. Gordon doesn’t know it, but Scott spent the evening in bed in disgrace and is feeling awful about what he said and making his own vows to never let his brothers feel so abandoned and unloved in their own house.

“I’m okay Stott. I wanna go home” Gordon tells him. 

“We want you home too, and you know I didn’t mean what I said yesterday, any of it. I love you and this family needs you” Scott tells him. “I got you a present” 

“I know Stott, momma told me” Gordon replies. “Now, where is my present?” 

Scott hands him a small, gift-wrapped package, wrapped in golden glittery paper. 

Ripping the wrapping off, to reveal a build a boat kit. “I thought we could make this our project, and once we have put it together, we will go the park, just you and me and take it for its maiden voyage” Scott tells him smiling.

“Really? Just you and me?” Gordon asks incredulously. 

“Just you and me” Scott confirms. 

Gordon’s face lights up in a way his brothers and parents have not seen for weeks and it drives home just how lost and neglected they let him feel. 

He gets his second big surprise an hour later when his daddy comes back into his room with a wheelchair so he can go home. 

*TB*

Grandma is home waiting for his arrival with Virgil, John and Alan. Virgil and John have painted a “Welcome home Gordy” Banner which is now strung up above the table in the dining room. Which is covered with sandwiches, sausage rolls, cocktail sausages, cheese and biscuits, crackers, a large bowl of salad, chocolates and mini cakes. 

The atmosphere is festive, as they celebrate being a family. 

Lucy and Jeff know they need to talk to Gordon about what he did, as he should never have left the house no matter how upset he was, but now is not the time as he holds court among his siblings, allowing them to fetch him food and drinks and revelling in their attention.

The journey and his welcome home party leave him exhausted and ready for his own bed hours earlier than normal, and Jeff carries him up the stairs and helps him get into a clean pair of pyjamas. Grandma has even changed the sheets and they smell fresh and clean and so inviting. Stretching out on the bed, his arms wrapped around his favourite cuddly toy. A squid, a gift on the day he was born which has rarely spend a night away from him in over four years. 

Lucy pops up to his room to say goodnight. Gordon’s room is small and cosy. His bed has been customised with a built-in ladder and draws full of clothes underneath, all painted his favourite colour of bright yellow with a black trim. The opposite wall has a series of shelves built in, covered with model ships and ornamental sea creatures, including a miniature loch ness monster. Gordon loves this room. 

“Let’s talk leaving the house without permission” Lucy says to him. 

“I just wanted to prove to Stott that I was a growed up” Gordon tells her. “I asked him to go with me but he said I was a pest and that I needed not to be a baby. I didn’t mean to stare you” 

“We aren’t angry Gordon, but you can’t leave the house without mine or your dad or grandmas permission depending on who is in charge. And you are not old enough to go out alone. But if Scott or Virgil or John say anything like that to you again you tell us okay. And we promise you that we will make more time for you. And besides we have another big project coming up, that we want you to be a part of” 

“It isn’t another baby is it?” Gordon asks. 

“No” Lucy laughs at the look on his face. “But that baby is going to be getting a lot bigger soon, and he needs somewhere to sleep, and we are running out of room here so we are going to be building an extension. We need your help, there will be walls to knock down and things to smash and break, and we are going to make you a bigger room, as well as splitting John and Virgil’s room into two separate rooms so they can have their own space and a room for Alan.” 

“Really?” Gordon asks. 

“Really, we love you Gordy, and we are so sorry that you ever felt differently.” Jeff tells him. 

“I love you too” Gordon replies. 

“Get some sleep sweetie, and if you need anything during the night just call and we will be right here okay?” Lucy says, switching on the spare monitor, knowing that Gordon might not be able to make it to the bathroom on his own while he gets used to having his leg in a cast. 

“okay momma” Gordon replies, “can you leave the door open?” 

Happy to be home and back in his own bed, Gordon sleeps soundly and doesn’t even stir when each of his big brothers come to check on him during the night, happy that they have their wannabe fish back with them, safe and exactly where he belongs.


	9. For the Greater Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil + Ritual sacrifice. 
> 
> Virgil crash lands two on an island full of angry natives who are going to make sure that their uninvited guest serves a purpose...

It had been a routine mission but being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night had left Virgil in a bad mood. He is flying back from California where he has just dropped of his rescuees and can’t wait to get back into his own bed and sleep until lunch. 

This morning when John woke him from peaceful slumber, Virgil snapped at him using some choice words he knows that he would not have been brace enough to utter in his Grandmas presence and he does not regret them! 

“Damn Damn Damn not today!” Virgil growls as a warning light appears on his dash. “ARGH!” he screams in frustration as his bird nose dives towards the ground, smoke from the blown engine filling the cockpit. He knows that he only has seconds before he crash lands, and the words he spoke to John this morning are the only things on his mind, wishing he could just do the conversation all over again. He can’t have the last words he spoke to him be “Bog off, and never contact me again” He never meant it, he was just grumpy at being woken up.

Without any emergency landing equipment Virgil’s landing is rough, and he hits his head on the dashboard, slicing his forehead open and knocking him unconscious.

*TB*

“Guys, we have a situation” John announces. The sun has only just risen on the Island, and there are four men in various states of awake. 

Gordon has been up for an hour swimming laps, and is now stretched out on the sofa, his feet resting on his father’s legs. 

Jeff is massaging his toes, an indulgent smile on his face which is suddenly all business as he asks, “What’s the situation John?” 

“That’s my line!” Scott tells him good naturedly, his hands clasped around his coffee mug. 

Alan is still in his pyjamas, having heard the emergency call and come running. 

“We have lost Thunderbird Two” John tells them. “It has crash landed on one of the remote Islands between the New Zealand and Australia.”

“On my way. Gordon Alan suit up” Scott orders, all thoughts of his coffee abandoned as he runs to his launch bay followed by his younger brothers while Jeff takes over at his own desk. He would do anything to be out there with his boys but he knows that Scott has this. Scott has always had this. 

With his two younger brothers crammed into the back of Thunderbird One, Scott heads towards his brothers last known location, his brothers both searching for any life signs from down below. Anything that will help.

“Why isn’t his tracker working?” Alan asks. “OH god. What if he has landed on you know where?” 

Scott’s face pales in shock. If he has landed on that Island then he is in trouble. 

*TB*

There is an Island everyone avoids. Even Gordon won’t go and explore this place, and he has managed to talk Buddy and Ellie out of going too, advising them that they won’t go after them this time. This place is too dangerous, for any unnecessary rescues.

The rock is jutting out of the ocean, looking its usual inviting and green leafy self. But they know differently. If Virgil has crash landed here, they need to get him out fast. 

*TB*

Virgil regains consciousness but the blinding pain in his skull will not go away. Blinking into the sun where he is now lying, Virgil groans. Unable to move from being restrained by his wrists and ankles, stripped to his underwear under the now blazing hot sun, he can feel his skin cooking and he knows that his brothers aren’t coming to save him this time. They would never risk their lives in this barren forsaken land. Home to one of the most savage tribes left alive. A casualty of the global conflict, driven to insanity by the war they live in isolation feeding off any innocents that wander into their path.

“Ah, you are awake” one of his captors says, sitting down on the ground nearby. “I am the one who saved you and bought you here. And your noble sacrifice will keep the wrath of the gods from destroying our land once again, it is a good and selfless thing for you to do.”

“I can’t die. The world needs me” Virgil replies. 

“No, we need you more. Without a body, the gods will start the war again and we will all die. It is one death, or it is all our deaths. I am sorry Mr Thunderbird, but we have no choice.” 

“You always have a choice; you don’t have to kill anyone” 

“Don’t think of it like that. Think of it as saving the world. The ritual will begin at midnight” 

Virgil starts to pray to anyone who might be listening and apologising over and over again for being so rude to John this morning.

*TB*

“I have located Thunderbird Two” John announces, “Your worst suspicions have been confirmed” 

“We are on it John, landing now. and don’t worry, we have a plan. And a Gordon!” Alan reminds him. 

“What are you idiots planning?” John asks, he knows that Gordon will be willing to do anything to save his brother, but this could just be a step too far.

“We will let you know later” Gordon tells him grinning.

“You don’t even have a plan, do you?” John asks.

“Nope!” Gordon replies, flashing John his most winning smile. 

“Just save him guys” John asks.

“Have we ever let you down?” Gordon asks, before ringing off. 

Scott brings Thunderbird One into land. 

“Wow Scott, landing on top of thunderbird Two, that’s impressive” Alan says. 

“You two, get in through the access hatch and look for clues. But for God’s sake be careful!” Scott orders his youngest brothers. 

“It is almost like he doesn’t trust us Al” Gordon says rolling his eyes but jumping down from his seat, determined to save his favourite sibling. 

The cockpit of Thunderbird Two Is home to Virgil’s abandoned suit, and copious amounts of blood. “We have to find him Gords” Alan says, panic setting into his voice. 

“We will” Gordon replies, his voice not carrying any conviction, if the savages have him then he may already be dead. 

Ordinarily the members of International Rescue do not carry weapons, but this is not an ordinary rescue. they are dealing with the last remnants of a desperate civilisation and Scott hands a loaded gun to each of his brothers when he joins them in Thunderbird Two.

“We will stick together out here, but if the worst happens and we get separated, then we will remain in constant radio contact both with each other, and the Island and John” Scott orders. 

Usually this tone would get him a few good-natured barbs from his brothers. But this is serious, and they both remain stoically silent. Apart from two near identical nods as they both give him their undivided attention. “Good, let’s go save our brother”

The terrain is difficult to traverse, as the stones underfoot are loose and keep shifting as they step. John with the help of Eos has located the place he thinks they are keeping him. An ancient temple, the only place on the Island that is not overgrown with vegetation. They hike for what feels like miles, without a single complaint about the heat, or the blisters forming on their heels. Constantly they look around them, always on the alert for danger. 

The clearing where the temple is located looms large in front of them through a gap in the trees. Hundreds of people are gathered in the square yard. All cheering and laughing. 

“There is no way we can get in there and get him out” Alan whispers. “there are hundreds of them” 

“Yes we will. I have a plan!” Gordon says confidently. 

“You do?” Scott asks.

“I do. Live bait!” Gordon tells them, looking over at Alan. “We just need to distract them!” 

“This is real life Gords, not the bloody Lion King, I am not dressing in drag and doing to Hula!” 

Gordons smile is pure evil, as he pulls out a grass skirt and flowery necklace.

“NO!” Alan replies. 

“This is our only shot!” Gordon replies, come on Allie, don’t you want to save Virgil?!” 

“Scott?!” Alan says appealing to his team leader. 

“It might work Al” Scott replies. “The element of surprise” 

“Okay fine, but you all owe me!” Alan replies grabbing the skirt and stripping down to his underwear. “And you had better not be filming this!” 

Gordon grins back at him. “Would I?” 

“YES!” Alan shouts.

“Quiet Allie” Scott orders. “We are supposed to be staying quiet” 

Alan sucks in a breath once he has dressed in the skirt and necklace he steps out into the open. “HEY OVER HERE!” He calls, sashaying his hips as he walks towards the crowd. 

The reaction is exactly what they expected, as the crowds move away from the square, revealing just what they feared. Virgil spreadeagled on his back tied so tightly he has no chance of escape without help.

Gordon and Scott wish that they had the Hoods cloaking tech, one click and they could be anyone they wanted as Gordon runs towards Virgil, while Scott has his back, the gun ready for usage if he absolutely has too. 

Virgil is still conscious. But delirious from the heat exhaustion and shows no sign of recognition of Gordon as he starts to untie him. Using a laser for convenience, desperate to get him out and away from danger.

“No! Let me go” Virgil cries desperately trying to wriggle out of the grasp Gordon has on him, but Gordon never lets go. Ignoring his own pain, Gordon starts back towards the safety of the trees. But Virgil is a dead weight lying across his shoulders. Gordon is strong, but even he can’t carry this weight for long distances. Stumbling and staggering under the weight Gordon nearly falls flat on his face, only stopping when he is caught by Scott. 

“Let’s call our ride. Save us having to walk all the way back” Scott insists.

“I don’t think that is going to be an option” Alan says. The poor boy no longer has his grass skirt and is clad in only his boxer shorts and a straggly flowery necklace. “Look!” 

Scott and Gordon groan in unison, as the savages run towards them having realised that Alan has tricked them into a distracted and frenzied state just long enough to let their sacrifice escape. Angered at the trickery, they are not going to let him get away a second time. 

“WE HAVE NO TIME; WE HAVE TO RUN! NOW!” Alan screams, and the three sets of feet pound their way back through the dense forest, sharing the burden of their brother. 

“Give me Virgil” Scott says to Gordon, knowing that he is too heavy for anyone to carry over long distances. 

“The jetpack Scott, get us all out of here. I have Virgil.” Gordon replies, reminding him that they have a way out that doesn’t involve a four-mile hike with an injured brother. 

Scott wordlessly takes a length of rope from his suit, and Gordon clips it onto his suit and around Alan’s waist knowing that the rope is going to burn his brothers skin but not able to apologise, as he clings desperately to Scott with Virgil jammed in between him and Alan as they fly up into the sky, not for the first time gratitude at Brains’ mind and technological advances. 

Thunderbird Two won’t move, the engine is fried but between them they fix up something that will get the big green hulk off the Island under Gordons near expert piloting while Alan sees Thunderbird one safely home. Scott has refused to leave Virgil’s side in the med-bay.

The cool air-conditioned bird mixed with Scott’s expert first aid administration and Virgil is already starting to feel better. The skin on his face, arms, legs and torso have been carefully wrapped in cooling gel pads. 

“How are you feeling now Virg?” Scott asks.

“Better, I think. How did you guys find me?” Virgil asks. 

“the tracker on Thunderbird Two led us to the Island, after that Eos tracked you down using her talent for mapping remote Islands and hacking!” Scott tells him with a grin. 

“I don’t think I can ever repay you guys. I thought I was a gonna this time” Virgil says. 

“You will never be a gonna as long as we are still breathing.” Scott tells him. 

“Who is flying your bird?” 

“I let Alan take the wheel, Gordon has yours” 

“That’s fair. I trust Gordon with my life” 

“After this hits the internet, he won’t be around to protect you!” 

“Oh god, what has he done?!” 

Scott grins before loading up the video of Alan in the skirt, dancing for the crowds. “At least it worked and we got you out. But Gordon needs to be on his guard!”

“Scott, I need to talk to John.” Virgil requests. 

“I will give you some peace and quiet and go and check on our pilot!” Scott replies. Scott heard their conversation this morning, and he knows that they both feel terrible about their argument. 

Johns face is full of concern as he gazes upon Virgil’s burned face. 

“How are you feeling?” John asks his elder brother. 

“I am sorry I was so mean to you” Virgil says, getting straight to his point. 

“Virg, it is fine. You are a beast when you have not had enough caffeine. You are my brother; unconditional love is part of the contract! Now get back to base and get some rest.” John reassures him with the same stern loving voice both Scott and Grandma used on him.

“Love you Johnny” 

“I love you too, and I am very glad that you were not sacrificed for the greater good!”


	10. They Look so Pretty When they Bleed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott + Internal Bleeding. 
> 
> High school football, what can possibly go wrong?!

Scott cannot believe that there are people in this world who don’t like football. The star of their high school football team, and on course for a full scholarship to any college in America. The world is his oyster! His younger brother is also on the team, but not big enough to make first string, but he is getting there. Bigger and stronger every day, and they both love their shared interests. 

This is Scott’s senior year, but he has been through so much in his seventeen years of life, that there are times when he feels twice his age. 

There have been some good times. Family vacations, trips to the lake in the summer, skiing in the winter. Four younger brothers for company, a father and grandmother who love him unconditionally. 

He is good looking and popular; he knows that but he never takes advantage of it. He joined the rescue scouts on his sixth birthday, the youngest age which they allowed him to join, and now he is a troop leader. Twice a week he holds meetings for the younger troops. Currently in his troop are two of his younger brothers. Gordon and John. He is sure that the only reason he was offered with particular group is that no one else would have Gordon! 

From the outside it always looks like Scott has the perfect life, but things are never that simple. 

His younger brother Gordon nearly died shortly after he was born and seems to have been inflicted with a desire to try again ever since! His water loving brother has broken so many bones, sometimes it feels like he lives at the local hospital.

His mom died in an avalanche when he was twelve. His brothers were only ten, eight, six and two at the time, and Gordon and Alan have no real memories of her, only photographs and what they have been told. 

His father spends more time away from home working to get his aspiring rescue business off the ground. Scott vowing to join up the minute he is able too. saving lives is all Scott cares about, not wanting anyone lose what he has lost. Because he lost so much more than his mom that day.

But enough dwelling on the sadness, Scott has to stay positive for his brothers, they need him. 

Walking out onto the pitch for the state final, Scott can’t help but feel pride. He knows that he has worked so hard for this. Gordon has even skipped training to join the rest of his family for this game, and he can see them in the crowded stand. All five of them Grandma on one end with a large S, then John with a C, Gordon with an O, Alan with a T and on the other end his father with a second T. Virgil is alongside him on the pitch walking out. 

“Good luck Scott, I will be watching from the bench, and remember when you graduate this is my spot!” Virgil tells him with a grin. 

“Just keeping it warm for you little bro!” Scott replies affectionately.

*TB*

Their team wins a touch down in the dying seconds, the ball thrown by Scott down into the end zone. 

The crowd is going wild, and Scott runs towards his teammates, who all pile on top of him screaming his name. They don’t even realise that he is no longer moving, or even struggling under their embrace. He doesn’t move once they have all stood back up, and are all engaged in a group hug with the cheer leading squad and their long suffering coach.

It is Virgil who runs over to Scott, who is barely breathing. His eyes are closed, and there is a small trickle of blood at his temple. 

There is screaming, and his father running towards the pair followed by Grandma and John who is trying to keep Gordon and Alan from reaching their brother. 

Virgil has no idea who is screaming. But noise is causing the blood to pound in his ears, and it won’t stop. Now his father has taken over rousing Scott, Virgil has his hands over his ears but he can’t drown out the screams.

“Virgil, breathe” Grandma says to him, but he doesn’t respond. There are tears streaming down his face and the beating of his heart slams into his breastbone with every painful beat. His brothers’ pain has always been his pain too, but this. This is too much. 

Finally the screaming stops, his mouth is still open but his voice is raw, and the realisation that it is him that is screaming. Burying his head in Grandmas coat Virgil clings to the woman who helped raise him until he feels strong enough to get up and carry on. Gordon has squeezed in between the pair and is refusing to let Virgil go until he is sure that he is okay. 

Grandma is always there to make him strong enough to carry on. 

Scott is taken away in an ambulance, leaving his team mates to collect the trophy without their leader. The festive atmosphere has died among the players as they realise that they are the cause of Scott’s injury, when they all jumped on top of him with a raucous energy. 

*TB*

Waking up from surgery, Scott finds himself surrounded by four worried looking boys, and his father. “What happened?” He asks confused. 

“Your idiot teammates, jumped on you after the game, and gave you concussion and a bleed on your brain” John tells him.

“Which was fixed, we hope!” Jeff tells him. “You are going to remain here under observation for a few days though Scott.” 

“I don’t understand why. The bleeding was internal. That’s where the blood is supposed to be!” Gordon tells him. 

“Never become a doctor Squid!” Virgil replies. Now that he is sure Scott is going to be okay, he knows that he will be too. the connection between him and his eldest brother has been restored and is no longer causing him pain.


	11. Psyche 101

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon + defiance. 
> 
> Gordon chooses to defy a direct order while on a mission, which has near disastrous consequences.

Arrogant, adorable, foolish and an Olympic gold medallist is not a great combination for a member of International Rescue. Gordon Cooper Tracy, Olympic and world record holder for the two hundred metre butterfly, highly trained aquanaut and fourth son of Jeff and Lucile Tracy. 

Sent away to boarding school when he was twelve, Gordon didn’t have much to do with his brothers while he spent years working towards his goal, he was offered a full scholarship to three of the best colleges in America, and he turned them all down to join his family.

Of course he doesn’t regret it, saving lives is a noble calling and one that he has never regretted. 

Gordon loves being out at open sea, even in the tiny tin can that is his beloved Thunderbird Four. A distress call came through this morning from a broken down and stranded submarine, Scott flew out to assess the situation while Virgil took Gordon and Thunderbird 4. The latter telling terrible jokes and being a nuisance during the whole flight, something Virgil has learnt to tolerate, as he knows that Gordon just has a really weird sense of humour. 

“Go get them Gordy” Virgil says to his younger brother, with a friendly punch on the arm. 

“I’m on it Virg, just relax” Gordon replies, jumping up from his seat and going down into the module. 

Gordon loves being in the water, sinking down below the waves with a smile despite the seriousness of the situation. He finds the sunken submarine easily, trapped in between rocks. Its crew inside, he knows from experience that they are going to be scared he would be in their situation. 

He is on his way, so close to the trapped crew when something catches his eye, glittering in the light from his Thunderbird. He knows it is wrong, going against everything he has been taught, but he can’t help it. His natural curiosity and love of marine biology is driving him now and not the need to rescue. 

“Gordon what is happening down there?” Scott asks.

“I have found the crew; they are safe enough for now. I have found something down here Scott. This could be what I have been looking for. One of the lost sunken cities. You know this place used to be a small town.” Gordon tells him.

“Not now Gordon, get the crew first. You know the rules. The people are more important.” Scott demands.

Gordon has had enough of the bossiness; Scott has been driving him crazy since he got back from the Olympics. Always telling him that he needs to be more serious, threatening to bring him up on charges, and put on probation. Or worse, removed from the organisation until he can prove that he is reliable.

“Five minutes Scott” Gordon replies, flipping his comm off which he knows will anger his elder brother, but he is beyond caring. The crew are perfectly safe where they are. But this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

Manoeuvring his Thunderbird further into the crevasse Gordon can’t believe what he is seeing. The fallen buildings covered in seaweed, and now the homes of millions of tropical fish. The whole scene is depressingly beautiful. 

“GORDON!” Scott calls, louder and more abrupt than before. 

Again Gordon ignores him, he knows he has plenty of time. This is not a real emergency; this is just a search and rescue. Telling himself that he has plenty of time. But sea quakes are getting more and more frequent in this area, and he could lose this opportunity forever if it is buried by another quake.

Resting his bird on the floor of the ocean, Gordon decides he is going for a wander, not bothering to tell Scott. He knows that Scott will never approve of this. 

“Gordon?” Scott tries a third time. “Where are you?” 

This time Gordon knows he can’t keep putting him off. “Exploring. This is incredible Scott. A real archaeological discovery.” 

“You are supposed to be rescuing this submarine crew, get your head in the game Gordon, those people are depending on you” 

Gordon rolls his eyes. “Plenty of time Scott.” 

“Get on with it!” Scott demands. 

Gordon laughs in his holographic face, which he knows will enrage his field commander but he is beyond caring now. “Bite me!” he replies before he angrily ends the communication. 

“Oh don’t tempt me” Scott replies furiously to the now blank screen.

The quake is a huge shock to him, throwing him back against a concrete pillar. Grateful that he is wearing a helmet which keeps him conscious and aware of the blinding pain in his back, which has knocked all the air from his lungs. The pillar is crumbling behind him, falling back into the dark pit. 

His flippered feet are slicing through the water in his bid to get away. Every movement hurts his chest and he knows that it is his fault. He should never have been so defiant to think he knew better than Scott. 

Gordon groans when he finally reaches the submarine. The dark green ship is buried by rubble. “Virgil?” he calls, not knowing what to do to make this better, but there is no reply the quake has damaged his radio and he is alone down here. Cut off from all outside help. Gordon is completely alone down here.

Leaning against Thunderbird Four while he tries to alleviate the pain in his back before falling to his knees on the ocean floor, while he tries to figure out his next move. The one thing he knows for certain is that he can’t stay here, he is running out of air.

He is just grateful that his own bird isn’t damaged, as he lets himself back in gasping in the breathable air in relief. 

Despair and desolation are the only companions he has left, he is going to die down here and so are four innocent people. But the terror is abating slowly, as the air fills his lungs and allows him to think properly.

He is the only one able to save these people, and if he loses his own life in the process then it is nothing less than what he deserves. 

Once the decision has been made, Gordon knows that there is no going back, this is his one opportunity. Tanked up with a fresh oxygen supply, Gordon fires up the engine, knowing that there is a large chance of another quake but he is beyond fear now. 

Using the magnetic claws, he slowly starts to shift the debris. Piece by piece, before finally he uncovers the airlock. He knows that he is lucky it is intact, and even luckier that it opens without having to use force. 

The three men and one woman waiting for him are huddled together in the dark, their life support systems are no longer working at full capacity, and the oxygen is slowly draining from the room. One of the men looks about his age and is barely conscious. 

“I am Gordon Tracy from International Rescue, and I am here to rescue you” Gordon announces. The four faces look drained both physically and emotionally as they accept the emergency oxygen masks from him with relief. “My ship up just outside, I will take you all out individually and evacuate you up to the surface where the rest of my team are waiting.” 

He knows that he doesn’t deserve their gratitude, they should have been evacuated a half hour ago, but they don’t know that. They don’t know that he decided exploring was more important than their own lives. 

He sends them up to Virgil one by one in the dry evacuation tubes, which is the only way Virgil knows that Gordon has been successful having not been able to contact him. 

Gordon doesn’t want to go back up there to face the wrath of his eldest brother and field commander. By his act of deliberate defiance he has put five lives in extreme danger, and he knows that Scott will not let this go. 

Telling himself that he does not have to be afraid, that Scott loves him, Gordon starts to raise Thunderbird Four. The palms of his hands are sweaty underneath his gloves with anxiety and his breathing heavy, which doesn’t abate when he finally breaks the surface. 

Virgil has dropped the submarine crew with the relief boat that has come to save their colleagues, and is now left alone with Gordon, who remains in thunderbird four during the flight home, unwilling to face his brothers. 

Once the two are safely back in the hangar, Virgil goes down to see his younger brother, finding him curled up on the seat, his arms wrapped around his knees still in his diving suit, he is trembling. “Come on, let’s get you upstairs. You need a hot shower and you need some rest” Virgil tells him.

His voice is all business, and Gordon knows that he is just as angry as Scott is as he tries to shrink back into his seat, making himself even smaller. He can’t move from this spot, and he wishes that he had been crushed down there. There is a single tear on his cheek as he resolutely stares down at his knees. 

“I am not leaving you hear, you have to face up to the consequences of what you did down there.” Virgil tells him, reaching for his arms and forcing him to his feet. 

Gordon doesn’t say a word as he allows Virgil to force him from the hangar and up into the lift to the lounge.

Scott is waiting for him. Sitting at the desk. “Virgil” he acknowledges his brothers safe return, while ignoring Gordons presence completely. 

“Scott?” Gordon asks, speaking for the first time.

“Go to your room Gordon” Scott replies not bothering being polite. 

“Scott please?” Gordon tries again. 

“NOW!” Scott roars in anger. “AND STAY THERE UNTIL I SUMMON YOU!” 

Gordon flees from his elder brothers, and up the stairs to the families living quarters. Throwing the door open and entering the safety of his room, he throws himself onto his bed and sobs his heart out. 

*TB*

“What are you going to do to him?” Alan asks over dinner.

“One count of gross misconduct, and if he has any sense, he won’t fight it.” Scott replies in disgust, looking over to the cupboard in the corner. From the outside the cupboard is innocuous and innocent, but to the Tracy’s it is the fabled cupboard of doom.

“YOU’RE GOING TO BEAT HIM?!” Alan cries in horror. 

*TB*

TBC


	12. I think I have broken something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon + broken trust. 
> 
> Gordon doesn't think Scott will ever trust him again following a disastrous mission. 
> 
> Warnings for punishment and angst, but there is a happy ending, I promise!

Name: Gordon Cooper Tracy  
DOB: 14th February 2043  
Date of Offense: 16th September 2060  
Age at time of offense: 17  
Offense: Gross Misconduct  
Accusing officer: Scott Tracy  
Note Taker: Hiram K Hackenbacker   
Suggested sentence: 12 strokes of the cane and two weeks in the Island jail.   
Brief synopsis of accusation: While on a mission in the Pacific, the accused deliberately disobeyed a direct order which nearly cost four innocent lives and his own. 

*TB*

Gordon knows as soon as he made the choice to investigate the underwater town during the mission he messed up. But the curiosity got the better of him, his impulsiveness took over and he was caught up in a sea quake which nearly crushed both thunderbird four and himself, and even worse four innocent bystanders.

The broken-down submarine, whose crew he had been tasked with rescuing, came within a minute or two of running out of air, before he finally made his way out of his own danger zone and into his. Scott and Virgil were furious with him, and he knows that in their position he would have felt the same way. but gross insubordination is pushing it a bit far he thinks as he nervously paces up and down his room, to which he was banished to the minute he entered the lounge, where Scott is preparing for the inevitable disciplinary hearing. 

Gordon knows that his only choice is a guilty plea and the hopes that this Grandma and brothers see that his remorse is genuine and that they will then talk Scott into a lesser sentence. The contract he signed when he became a fully-fledged member of International Rescue leaves him in no doubt that he will be caned, and that sitting is going to be a very uncomfortable experience for a few days, but maybe is he admits fault he won’t be locked away. Locked up without his beloved pool or sunlight is a much worse punishment for the nature loving blonde, and he would rather be caned every day for a month than locked away for a single day.

*TB*

Out in the main office, his brothers are discussing his crime with their grandma, trying to agree on an appropriate punishment now he has pleaded guilty. 

“Scott, we don’t have a jail!” Virgil reminds him gently, reading through the notes. He knows that his elder brother is angry, and when he gets this angry then he can not be reasoned with, all he can do is protect Gordon from the worst of Scott’s wrath. 

“Fine then he can spend two weeks in his room” Scott replies harshly, “While I build him a jail!”

“Scott, please don’t do that to him. Gordon won’t cope being locked up” Alan pleads with him. “There has to be a compromise”. 

Scott isn’t prepared to listen to reason, Gordon cannot be trusted and deserves whatever he gets. If this was up to Scott, Gordon would no longer be a member of international rescue. 

In the end it is Grandma who makes the decision, overruling Scott’s request to keep him locked up for two weeks. Agreeing with Virgil and Alan that is it cruel to keep him locked away for longer than twenty-four hours. Signing off on Gordons sentence, Grandma asks Alan to fetch him from his room. 

Gordon follows Alan out to the office, sitting down in the designated chair that has been pointed out to him. He is clearly nervous, and his fingers are shaking as they grip the arms of the chair. 

“Gordon Tracy, you have pleaded guilty to one charge of gross misconduct. Do you have anything to say before we pronounce judgement?” Scott asks, eyeing up his little brother with disdain. 

Gordon looks at the identical looks of disappointment in his brothers faces, and he can’t stand It. “I-I-I’m So-so-sorry” He sobs through his tears, which a flowing freely down his cheeks. He was only trying to help, but he has made everything worse. How is he ever going to regain his brothers trust? He would rather be anywhere else than in this room right now, and the urge to run from the room and into the waiting ocean is growing stronger by the minute. 

“It’s okay Gordon” Virgil tells him, but no one moves to comfort him. He hasn’t earned it. 

“Gordon, I have no choice other than an immediate custodial sentence of twenty-four hours. You will spend your confinement in your room, your meals will be provided and you are grounded from missions for a week, you don’t use the pool and you don’t leave the Island under any circumstances. Furthermore you will receive six strokes of the cane. I will be administering your caning shortly. Alan return him to his room” Scott announces. 

Gordon doesn’t wait for Alan to escort him before fleeing the room. Knowing that was the best he could have hoped for. 

To his relief, Scott doesn’t keep him waiting long. Pushing open the door Scott finds him lying on his bed wearing pyjamas and his old cuddly squid hugged tight to his chest. 

Gordon blanches inwardly at the thin crooked cane in his eldest brothers’ hands. It is three feet in length and a quarter inch thick. They have all experienced its bite at some point, some brothers more than others and it never gets easier. The irony of Gordon telling Scott to “bite him” during the mission isn’t lost on him! 

They all signed the contract, and they all know the consequences and they all accepted it. 

Scott doesn’t bother with small talk; he wants to get this over with as quickly as possible. As soon as the decision was made, Scott’s anger vanished replaced by a determined resolve to deal with this quickly and professionally. “Okay Gordon, you know the drill. Get up off the bed pull your underwear and pyjamas down to your ankles and bend over the bed” 

Gordon obeys without hesitating, leaping up from the bed and onto his feet, before finding himself half naked and in position over the end of the bed, his arms stretched out just about able to reach the sides of his bed with his fingertips. He too just wants to get this over and done with, and get on with his life. 

“You will remain in that position throughout the duration of your punishment. Failure to do so will result in additional strokes being applied. If you get up twice without my permission, I will have Virgil come in and hold you down and your punishment will begin again. You are to count the strokes aloud and repeat the line “thank you Sir” after each one. Again get your line wrong or fail to count and I will add additional strokes. Do you understand?” Scott asks, going through the agreed punishment etiquette for the disgraced seventeen-year-old. 

“Uh huh” Gordon replies.

“NO. Do you understand. You reply, “Yes Sir!” Scott demands. 

“Yes Sir” Gordon squeaks, just wishing Scott would get on with it and beat him, so he can get dressed and try to forget the embarrassment of being half naked in front of his eldest brother. 

“Better” Scott tells him. 

The next thing Gordon feels is a gentle tap on his buttocks before there is a whooshing sound followed by an audible CRACK as Scott lands his first stroke. 

There is a brief break between the impact and a line of sizzling, fiery pain which shoots up his spine. “JESUS CHRIST THAT FUCKING HURT!” Gordon thinks, but he doesn’t cry out in pain and is just about able to call out “one thank you, Sir” 

Hoping that Scott does at lease give him time to compose himself before…

CRACK!

The second stroke lands just below the first. 

TWO THANK YOU SIR!” Gordon cries as quickly as possible not wanting to give Scott further reason to beat him. 

CRACK!

This time tears spring to Gordons eyes and he has difficulty squeaking the required “THREE THANK YOU SIR!” 

Scott notes the tremble behind his behind his words and allows himself a small smile at both the tears and the three raised evenly distributed welts across the aquanaut’s backside. 

CRACK!

A small audible cry escapes from Gordons lips. “Good I am getting through to him” Scott thinks as a stuttered “FOUR, TH-TH-THANK YOU S-S-SIR!” can clearly be heard as Scott raises the cane once more. 

CRACK!

The cane lands on the last part of Gordons backside before his thighs. This gets the job done as Gordon abandons his attempt to take his caning with dignity and howls, but to his credit remains in position and even manages to squeak “FIVE, THANK YOU SIR” 

“Last one Gordon, but after I want you to remain where you are until I tell you to get up” Scott informs him.

Gordon doesn’t bother to reply, he only grips the edges of his mattress tighter, as he braces himself for the final impact. 

CRACK!

The cane bites down one final time, and it feels like it is eating his flesh and the cry of “S-S-SIX THANK Y-Y-YOU SIR” comes out as a gasp as he sobs into the blanket just relieved that he is not going to be beaten again. 

Scott leaves him alone to calm down, and Gordon knows better than to move until he is given consent. Right now he would never disobey a direct order again. 

Scott returns after ten minutes, not wanting to leave him for long, but wanting to give him the time he needs to get his emotions together. “Okay Gords, you can get up now” He tells him, rubbing his hand on his back. 

Gordon slowly gets to his feet, his face is devoid of colour and his cheeks are streaked with tears. His eyes are large and bloodshot and so full of remorse that Scott can’t stand it. 

Opening his arms for his brother, Gordon doesn’t hesitate to throw himself into them and just sobs harder. “I’M SORRY SCOTTY” he wails desperately, his voice is pure misery.

“It’s okay Squid” Scott tells him, reverting to his nickname. “You broke the rules and have suffered the consequences. Do you have any idea how terrified I was when we couldn’t get hold of you? We have lost mom and dad and I can’t lose you too” 

Gordon never thought of it like this, he was only thinking of himself when he tried to explore that trench, and he nearly died, taking four innocent lives with him. “I am not going anywhere Scott” Gordon tells him sincerely. 

“Well not for the next twenty-four hours you aren’t! and you can thank Virgil for that, I wanted to lock you up for two weeks, and double your beating” Scott tells him with a grin. “Now lie down and I will pop some soothing cream on these welts.” 

Gordon would do anything Scott asks him too right now, and they both know that will not last! The cream is soothing his hot and irritated skin, and Gordon finds himself relaxing and the pain receding as long as he lies still.

“All done” Scott tells him, his hand gently massaging his brothers back. “Now you are confined to your room for the next twenty-four hours. You will be provided meals but no dessert. You are not to watch television or play video games, and I am taking your tablet. If you are caught breaking the restrictions then your confinement time increases. Upon your release, you will sign a disciplinary action note which will remain on your file for twelve months. Any further incidences within that time frame and I will make sure you get the maximum penalty applicable. Understand?” Scott asks, his voice serious again now. 

“I understand Scott” Gordon replies, still lying as still as possible on his stomach, as Scott stands up from his spot on the floor where he has been kneeling next to the bed. 

“Try and get some sleep Gordo” Scott tells him, giving his back one last rub before turning to leave. 

“Scott?” Gordon calls as he gets to the door. 

“Yes” Scott asks, turning round. 

“Thank you” Gordon tells him sincerely. “For everything” 

“It’s okay Gordo. That is the best thing about trust, it can be won back. Now get some sleep and I will see you this time tomorrow” Scott replies, before exiting the room and ensuring that it is locked behind him. He knows that Gordon would not disobey him, but Alan and Virgil might in their roles as Gordons closest brothers to check on him. 

*TB*

It is raining the following afternoon when Scott goes to release Gordon. Finding his brother sitting on the window seat, his head resting against the windowpane, the old cuddly squid sitting on his knee looking out the window with him. Still in his pyjamas, with his duvet pulled up to his chin.

“Hey, you can come out now” Scott tells him, “Grandma baked you a cake!” 

“I thought you said my punishment was over!” Gordon replies with a grin, but makes no attempt to move from his spot. 

“It is the cake was imported from Paris. I would never want to poison you Squid!” Scott says. “You just have to sign the note for your file, and remember you are not to leave the Island for a week. I know missing out on missions may seem cruel but it is necessary to teach you” 

“Scott, I get it, just get me some cake!” Gordon tells him grinning. 

“I love you Gordon, never forget that” 

“Do you?” Gordon asks, there is thinly disguised hope in his voice. 

Scott sits down on the bed, leaning back against the headboard and plucking one of the plush sea creatures that Gordon has collected over the years from besides the pillow, recognising it as the dolphin he was given for his fifth birthday. “Come here” Scott tells him. 

Gordon winces slightly, as he jumps down from the windowsill and makes his way over to the bed where Scott envelopes him in a Virgil-esque hug, resting his chin on the top of Gordon’s head. “You have no idea how much I love you. You terrified me; in fact, you have been terrifying me since the day you were born!” 

Gordon allows Scott to continue cuddling him, without interrupting his speech. 

“You know you, Virgil, John and Alan are lucky you have to answer to me when you screw up.” Scott tells him. “If that had been me, I would have dealt with by Grandma. Are you ready for cake?” 

“I love you too, and I am always ready for cake!” Gordon confirms, and he means it. He knows that it doesn’t matter what happens in the future, his brothers all love him and only ever want what is best for him.

“If I have to do this again, I am going to build that Island jail I threatened you with!” Scott tells him. 

*TB*

Name: Gordon Cooper Tracy  
DOB: 14th February 2043  
Date of Offense: 16th September 2060  
Age at time of offense: 17  
Offense: Gross misconduct  
Accusing officer: Scott Tracy  
Note Taker: Hiram K Hackenbacker   
Suggested sentence: twelve strokes of the cane and two weeks in the Island jail.   
Brief synopsis of accusation: While on a mission in the Pacific, the accused deliberately disobeyed a direct order which nearly cost four innocent lives and his own.   
Plea: Guilty  
Sentence: six strokes of the cane and twenty-four hours confinement. Sentence reduced following guilty plea and remorse shown.


	13. Breathe in breathe out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon + oxygen mask. but more of a Scott whump than a Gordon one!

“Scotty, my tummy hurts” Alan complains. 

Scott has to listen to this on a daily basis. Ever since Alan started the fourth grade, he has tried to find ways to get out of having to go to school. And he is not falling for it. Again! Besides, he has enough on his plate with John incapacitated by a broken leg. 

“Get up. Get dressed and be downstairs ready for breakfast in the next ten minutes” Scott replies rolling his eyes before moving onto the other bed in the room. 

Gordon is buried deep under the covers, curled up into a ball. “Come on Gords, time to get up” Scott tells him, gently shaking his shoulder. 

“Just five more minutes mom” Gordon replies sleepily.

“No. Now!” Scott replies, taking away his blanket. 

“Okay. Fine, I’m up. What’s for breakfast?” Gordon asks uncurling his body and stretching his arms above his head. 

“I have no idea. It’s Virgil’s week” Scott replies. 

Ever since their father went missing Scott has found himself the guardian of his four younger brothers. He has given up his own hopes and dreams to raise his siblings, college plans became an online correspondence course, completed in the dead of the night once they have been fed and their homework checked, and they are safely tucked up in bed.

But he doesn’t mind, not really. The good times outweigh all of his doubts. Thanks to his father’s multi-billion-dollar empire, there are seven figure trust funds for each of them just waiting until they turn eighteen, expertly managed by a team he would trust with his life. 

It would have been easy to hire a nanny, someone who would raise them in his place. They are sweet and lovable, and he knows that anyone would love to take care of them, but he can’t. They’re his. 

Breakfast is always chaotic, and today is no exception. Gordon is attacking the stack of pancakes like he has never seen food before. John is sitting at the end of the table, crutches leaning up against the table, his casted limb resting on a spare chair. Virgil is pouring himself his third cup of coffee. 

Alan wanders into the kitchen, still in his pyjamas. “Virgy, I don’t feel good” he mumbles. 

“Go back to bed, Scott will bring you something to eat in a bit” Virgil replies. 

“Fine. Alan Go back upstairs” Scott tells him, knowing that if he doesn’t agree to stay home with Alan, then Virgil will. And this is Virgil’s last year of high school, and he really does not want him missing class unnecessarily. 

“Okay” Alan replies before leaving the kitchen, not even begging for breakfast.

“Now you three get going or you’ll be late Virgil, remember you agreed to go grocery shopping after school before picking Gordon up from Swimming practise and John from astronomy club. Remember Gordon one more detention this term and you’re banned from the pool for a week!” Scott tells the three boys still left in the kitchen. He has each of their schedules on a large wall calendar that takes up most of the kitchen wall above the table, Gordons swim practise and meets, Virgil’s piano and art lessons and recitals and the big exhibition he has been inviting to join, Johns extra curriculars – Science club, mathletes, astronomy club, Alans after school playdates, and of course rescue scouts for all four boys. But they all know he doesn’t need the schedule. He knows exactly where his brothers are at any time. A mix of intuition and experience. 

Virgil rounds his brothers up and herds them into his car, John getting in the back so he can stretch his leg out on the back seat, while Gordon tries Virgil’s out for size.

“Nice try fish move over” Virgil tells him, with a gentle push to get him to slide into the other seat. 

“Do you think Scott was serious about the ban?” Gordon asks, as Virgil pulls out the driveway.

“Yes, so be good!” Virgil replies laughing. 

“Aren’t I always good?” Gordon asks, ignoring the roar of laughter from the back seat. 

“Do you even know the meaning of the word?” John asks. 

“Yes, I am just not a fan of the definition” Gordon replies, turning round and poking his tongue out at him. 

Virgil ignores their banter as he drives towards Gordons school, turning into the parking lot and watching as he hops out and runs over to his friends. Making sure he is safely inside the building before he turns the car around and finishes the short drive over to the high school.

*TB*

“Scotty, I’m dying” Alan says, walking into the office where he is trying to complete some paperwork for Tracy Enterprises. 

“What’s wrong?” Scott asks, amused. 

“Don’t laugh at me” Alan whines. “I am really dying this time” 

“Mmm-hm” Scott replies, Alan doesn’t look ill and does not have a fever. Scott knows letting him take the day off was a bad idea, he really should have just sent him to school. “Go and get comfortable on the sofa, and I will bring you a glass of water” 

“But I want milkshake, and a bar of chocolate” Alan replies. 

“I thought you said your tummy hurt?” Scott asks.

“It does, and chocolate makes me feel better” 

“So does a one-way ticket to boarding school” says Scott, getting up from the desk and taking Alan into the lounge. “Come on, let’s get you more comfortable.” 

Alan clings to him, and Scott finally realises that he isn’t sick. He just wants his big brother. 

“Alan are you really feeling ill? Be honest with me.” Scott asks. 

“No. But I hate school” Alan replies sadly. “It was fine last year when Gordon was there, but now I just feel so alone all the time. Nobody likes me, they all think I am weird. The other kids make fun of me all the time and call me orphan boy. The teachers hate me because I am cleverer than they are.” 

Scott sits down on the sofa next to him, his arms wrapped around him. “You have to go to school. If you don’t, they will take you away from us and you would hate that even more. That’s the law, but I won’t have anyone picking on you. I will make an appointment to speak to your teacher.” 

“The law sucks Scotty” Alan replies.

“Yeah it does.” Scott tells him. 

They are both snuggled up on the sofa watching Pirates of the Caribbean when Scott’s phone rings, and he groans when he realises it is Gordon’s school. The last time he got this phone call his idiot brother got suspended for a week for getting caught climbing the flagpole with a pair of underpants which he attached to the flag and left blowing in the wind. 

“Sorry Al, I have to get this” Scott says, pausing the movie and swiping his finger across the screen. 

“Scott Tracy speaking? Excuse me? He has done what?!” Scott exclaims. “Okay, we will meet you at the hospital”

Hanging up, Scott turns to Alan, who is now genuinely pale. The last time he was in hospital it was because John broke his leg, falling from the roof of the barn star gazing. 

“Come on Allie, we need to go” Scott tells him. 

“Why?” Alan asks. 

“I don’t have time for questions” Scott replies, “now go and get dressed” 

“You never do!” Alan tells him before storming upstairs.

*TB*

“I’m fine!” Gordon insists, fifteen minutes later, through the oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth. The words cause him to cough violently, before he shudders with pain and falls still.

“I still don’t get it, what on earth happened to you?” Scott asks. 

“Well it was like this…” Gordon begins, but can’t continue. The dull ache in his chest is getting worse the longer he lies there. 

“Gordon?” Alan asks. “Gordy breathe. Scott do something!” 

“I tried to save him” Gordon manages to croak before his eyes close. “I’m sorry Scott” 

Gordons gym teacher was the one who made to call to Scott and leaving Alan with him Scott goes to find him, hoping that he has not left yet. He would have spoken to him first, but his priority was Gordon. 

“How is he?” Mr Lovell asks. Scott had this man for gym himself in middle school, and if he remembers correctly so did his father! He remembers him as a strict but fair teacher. 

“Asleep, what exactly happened, he isn’t with it enough to say anything” Scott asks.

“There was a porcupine in the school pool, the poor creature was so waterlogged it couldn’t move, I have no idea how it got in there, but you know your brother, he can’t resist trying to help anything in distress, human or not. Gordon dived in fully clothed, and managed to get it over to the side and into the waiting towel for an emergency trip to the vet – it is going to be fine, by the way – but Gordon slipped getting out and fell back into the water. He inhaled a large amount of it in shock and very nearly drowned.” Mr Lovell tells him. 

“Fool” Scott replies fondly. Knowing that he would have done the exact same thing in Gordons position, these boys cannot stand to see suffering. 

“Don’t be too hard on him Scott, he is a hero” Mr Lovell insists with a smile. “I am going to get back to school, if you need anything at all just let me know” 

“Thank you, Mr Lovell” Scott replies, realising that he doesn’t know his first name. 

He is just turning to leave when Virgil and John come bursting into the corridor.

“Scott, where is he?” Virgil asks.

“Through here, he’s fine, don’t panic” Scott tells them, getting straight to their unanswered questions and following them back into Gordon’s room. 

Gordon is still asleep the mask supplying his exhausted lungs with fresh oxygen with every breath he takes. 

“How did you two find out he was in the hospital?” Scott asks, even though he is not surprised to see them.

“It is all over the high school that some idiot in the seventh grade nearly drowned rescuing a skunk from the pool, we just assumed it was Gordon so I called one of his friends and here we are” Virgil replies.

“It was a porcupine” Gordon croaks from the bed. “Scott it hurts” he mumbles before another violent coughing fit takes over his body. 

“Breathe Gordy” Virgil tells him. 

“I can’t it hurts too much” Gordon replies, whimpering. 

“in and out, come on you can do it” Virgil encourages him, trying to sync his own breathing to match Gordons, while Scott goes to find a doctor. 

“I just want to go to sleep” Gordon tells him, struggling to make himself heard through the mask. 

The doctor is not one they recognise, which is unusual when they consider how many hours they have spent here! “I think a mild sedative and a short holiday here will do the trick” the doctor announces. 

Gordon doesn’t even protest, he will stay here forever if he has too, and allows the doctor to sedate him.

With Gordon finally sleeping peacefully, Scott orders his brothers to go home. 

*TB*

“Did you call grandma?” John asks, while Virgil takes the burgers from the freezer and shoves them under the grill. 

“Not yet, I didn’t want to worry her” Scott replies. 

Grandma has offered to move in to help him out, even reminding him that she can look after his brothers for him while he goes to college for real, but Scott doesn’t need the help, he is coping perfectly well on his own. 

“She cares about us Scott” Virgil replies. 

“I know, but I don’t want her here” Scott tells him. 

“Why?” Alan demands to know. 

Scott bursts into tears. “Because she will find out the truth about us. The truth that Alan will not go to school, and that John got injured falling from the roof, or that Gordon nearly drowned today, and god knows what you are going through Virg, because I haven’t even opened your report card. I am nineteen years old; I shouldn’t have grey hairs”

“I am calling Grandma” Virgil insists. “Scott you don’t have to do this alone.” 

*TB*

Grandma agrees to stay until Gordon is released from the hospital, then until Christmas, then easter and before they know it she has taken over the responsibilities Scott thought were his alone, and he finds himself relegated to being their big brother once again. 

They still give him grey hairs, even when he is thousands of miles away in college he finds that he never stops worrying, but he will never deny being relieved that there was someone out there who could help, reminding him once and for all that he is not alone in the world.


	14. Something's burning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon + heat exhaustion
> 
> a quiet relaxing day on Tracy Island turns into desperate battle to save innocent lives from a watery grave

“Daaaaaaaaaaad! Tell him to stoopppppp!” Alan whines. 

“Gordon stop whatever you are doing to your brother, or you’re getting sent to bed” Jeff calls across the yard without looking up from his book. 

“Hey!” Gordon calls back indignantly, from the sun lounger next to his father. “I didn’t do anything” 

“Sorry Gords, force of habit!” Jeff replies with a grin. “Virgil don’t throw soil at Alan!”

“He started it dad!” Virgil replies laughing. 

“I don’t care who started it, I am finishing it!” Jeff tells them.

It is another one of those perfect lazy afternoons in a tropical paradise. Jeff, Virgil, Scott, Kayo. Alan and Gordon are out in the yard, away from the house. Scott is on a supply run with Grandma, and John is up on thunderbird five, having spent the last few weeks on earth reconnecting with his father, the itchy feet he has always suffered from when staying on earth too long got the better of him, and he just had to go back to his office. 

This was part of the original structure, and they closed it up after Jeff disappeared, finding it too hard to visit the garden Jeff had spent years happily cultivating. 

This was one of the first things he asked about once the novelty of being home had worn off, and he wanted to get back to work. He knows why it has been abandoned, but it doesn’t hurt less. This was his refuge from a difficult rescue. The boys would be in bed, cosy and warm and safe, the sky outside was a blanket of stars. and he would lie on the grass carpet stiff and dry from the months of intense summer heat, on his back gazing up at the world around him feeling like the luckiest man alive. 

Virgil and Alan have volunteered to help him restore his garden back to its former glory. With the others chipping in whenever they find the time. They have spent weeks pulling weeds, cutting back hanging overgrown branches, repairing the broken fences and planting flowers. 

Gordon’s been entrusted with the pond, it too has become overgrown with algae, which has slowly poisoned the water, and to Gordons dismay killed the fish it was once home too. The desolation of his father’s disappearance left him unable to come back here, and he had no idea that so many precious little lives had been lost in his absence. 

Jeff, still not being used to being back in the sunshine is revelling in simplicity of lying here in the comfort of his family. 

Gordon has taken a break to relax next to him, wearing swimming shorts and topping up his tan. The scars from his brush with the Chaos Crew are fading with age, and after the initial shock of seeing the marks lining his sons skin, Jeff would be lying if he said he was okay with what happened, but with his sons help he has come to terms with everything he has missed out on. 

“VIRGIL DAD SAID STOP IT!” Alan cries loudly. 

“VIRGIL” Jeff calls. 

“What, I don’t do it on purpose, it is not my fault he keeps getting in the way of the mud I am slinging!” Virgil insists. 

“If you don’t stop it, we will all go back to the house and watch you clean the pool filter with your toothbrush!” Gordon threatens. 

“Yeah, then make you use it to brush your teeth!” Alan adds. 

“They are both still gross dad!” Virgil tells him. 

Jeff does not need to be told this, this has been obvious from the moment he had his welcome home meal and Alan let out a large belch at the table after downing a glass of coke. 

They work in peace for a while, until Gordon’s snores start to fill the air. The atmosphere is relaxed and happy, until Virgil’s comm goes off. 

“Virg, wake the fish. We have a situation” John announces. 

“What’s happened John?” Virgil asks, all business even though he is covered from head to toe in mud.

“There is a fishing trawler taking on water near Japan, crew of fifty need to be evacuated. Grab Gordon and go” John orders with the kind of authority which makes even Jeff gape at him in awe, but his brothers take it in their stride, Alan pulling Gordon to his feet and the three of them race back to the house. Virgil insisting that Alan is not needed and should remain behind just in case he is needed. 

Leaving Jeff on his own. 

*TB*

The heat in Japan makes the Island feel like the artic circle. Even the water brings no relief, as Gordon rescues the crew from a watery grave. 

The boat has fully sunken when they arrive, leaving the crew stranded in the sea. Those who are lucky enough are in the one lifeboat that did not go down with the ship. 

It is a long and gruelling job, and Gordon is exhausted from trying to tread water, one of the crew members is not a good swimmer, leaving Gordon with his hands full as he tries to keep his head above water. His arms are aching from the effort, and he can barely feel his feet. The sun broiling the hair on his head. Feeling his skin burning, but he knows he needs to keep going. Lives are depending on him.

Gordon can’t keep this going, he is exhausted, just trying to keep his nose above water so he can force his rescuees to keep fighting right alongside him, as one by one as Gordon gets the people into the rescue module aboard Thunderbird Two. It is cramped, with bodies jammed into the cockpit alongside Virgil. Most are grateful that they are safe, but one or two are grumbling about the conditions. 

Virgil can tell from the telemetry from Gordon’s suit that his heartbeat is growing weaker. It is over, Virgil can’t save the three remaining victims in time and Gordon. 

It is over, international rescue have failed. Desperately wishing he had bought Alan along to help, Virgil starts to beg any higher power who may be listening to send help. 

Because he can’t lose Gordon. 

Exhausted, Gordon can do nothing but climb up onto the stray piece of driftwood, which will hopefully stop him from drowning, and allow his brother to save them. if he is safe from immediate drowning, then Virgil will give him up until the last minute. 

His suit has been torn from the various splinters of wood that have attacked him, his skin is boiling his blood under the heat from the sun. maybe he has died and gone to hell, wracking his brain for any misdeeds that might have landed him in hell, Gordons life flashes before his eyes.

Two years old, and running around the lawn of their Kansas farm house being chased by an irate John because he used his homework for colouring paper.

Four years old, and sulking because his dad said he wasn’t allowed to feed baby Alan his broccoli before asking for a puppy instead. 

Six years old and at his moms funeral being held by his grandma as he cries. 

Ten years old and waking up in hospital after breaking his arm after he jumped out of his bedroom window in an attempt to break a world record for the “high jump” 

Seventeen years old and standing on top of the podium about to receive an Olympic gold medal. 

No Gordon thinks, he doesn’t deserve to go to hell. 

He has given up all hope, when there is a roar of another ship, the sound of an engine that sounds beautifully familiar. It is thunderbird one. He is saved, he thinks. Before finally losing consciousness. 

*TB*

Jeff Tracy has not flown a plane in anger in years, but when that call came In from Virgil, he didn’t hesitate. With Alan alongside him they join Virgil at the danger scene. It is Jeff who goes down to rescue the final three victims and Gordon.

His heart sinks once he has his fourth son aboard thunderbird one. Every piece of his exposed skin is burning under his fingers. “Alan get us home” Jeff says to his youngest son.

Alan makes a world record attempt at dropping his rescuees at the local hospital before a second attempt from Japan back to the Island.

Back in the infirmary, Jeff has to use Grandmas sewing scissors to physically cut the suit from his body. 

Gordon has not regained consciousness, while Jeff tries to bring down his core temperature, with Brains’ patented cooling gel being rubbed into his skin. 

This is all his fault; Jeff Tracy started this organisation. If he had never have done this, his boys would have college degrees, Gordon would be taking part in his second Olympic games, Alan would have had a normal childhood. He would never have spent eight years in deep space. Gordon would never have been crushed and left for dead at the bottom of the ocean.

“And the Hood would have stolen the Zero X. Hundreds of people would have died maybe thousands.” Gordon tells him.

“Gordon, welcome back” Jeff tells him. “Was I thinking out loud?” 

“Yeah. Thank you for saving my life” Gordon tells him. “You were the one who came for me” 

“How do you know?” Jeff asks. 

“I watched you” Gordon tells him. “with mom” 

*TB*

Heat exhaustion and sunburn are the worst of Gordon’s injuries, which when expertly treated by Jeff clear up quickly leaving him free to escape the infirmary the following afternoon. With strict instructions to remain indoors and out of the sun. 

“He was dead mom” Jeff tells her once they are alone. Walking along the beach together. 

“Lucy sent him back”


	15. Into the Unknown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alan + magical healing. 
> 
> Alan decides that he wants Gordons new racing broom, before he crashes in the yard. lucky that his brother is a healer at St Mungo's then isn't it! but it turns out the true injuries aren't physical, can they put their brother back together with that magical power even muggles have. Love?

Virgil has just graduated from Hogwarts. Prefect, Quidditch captain, head boy and top-grade newts in transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Herbology, and Defence Against the Dark Arts. His only ambition has ever been healing, and he has been given one of the coveted traineeships at St Mungo’s. He knows that his father wanted him to return to America but seven years of magical education in Scotland and Britain is home. Besides two of his younger brothers attend the school and he can go up to visit at the weekends. 

Virgil loves London. His father helped him purchase a seven-bedroom semidetached property in the magical quarter in Knightsbridge, Chelsea and he has spend the summer holidays remodelling it to suit his needs. Allowing Gordon, John and Alan to pick and decorate their guest rooms, for when they come to stay at Christmas and Easter. 

The summer holidays before John starts his sixth year and Gordon his fourth. Scott has graduated and is working for his Magicusa alongside his father, in the magical law enforcement department, with Alan due to start the following September. 

Alan was dropped off at the start of the summer, and the three boys spend their days in Diagon Alley eating ice cream, and gazing lovingly at the brooms at quality quidditch supplies. And the evenings at the quidditch pitch near the house, watching games or training sessions and thanks to Virgil and Scott as quidditch superstars occasionally being allowed to join in. 

They are spoilt and rich, and they know it! They only need to look at something and their dad jumps to buy it for them. 

It is the final week of the school holidays, and Alan does not want to go back to America. He wants to go to Hogwarts with Gordon and John, even though at ten he is too young.

Watching his brothers running around the house tracking down their lost possessions, making sure that their robes are laundered. Gordon especially hasn’t even unpacked his trunk from the time he got home at the end of June, just taking out his broomstick and some muggle clothing he keeps for emergencies. The books were just left in the trunk, and he hasn’t even thought about doing any of his summer assignments. 

“Gordon, Alan get down here” Virgil calls. 

The two boys are in the indoor pool, playing catch with an inflatable ball. Gordon jumps up onto the side of the pool, swinging his legs over the side of the pool and jumping down. “Come on Al let’s go and see what he wants. 

They find Virgil and John in the kitchen, Virgil is supervising the knife chopping onions for dinner, while John is setting the table. 

“Ooh food” Gordon announces happily. 

This is Alan’s last night, he is leaving tomorrow, and he hates everything about this. His farewell meal, even if hotdogs are his favourite food, he still knows what this is. A bribe so he will leave peacefully. 

“Yes, both of you get upstairs and get dressed, you are not sitting at my table in swimming shorts!” Virgil tells him, briefly looking over his shoulder. 

“Snob!” Gordon replies poking his tongue out. 

“Do that again, and I will remove it” Virgil replies, raising his wand in a mock threat. Gordon only laughs, he knows that Virgil would never hurt him. They all know. Virgil is too pure and good, the perfect healer. 

“Go and get dressed Gordon!” Virgil repeats. “Alan has, why is it your younger brother is more sensible and better behaved than you are?” 

“Brainwashed by Scott?” Gordon suggests. 

“GO!” Virgil shouts, finally losing his temper.

Gordon skips from the room, and upstairs into his suite. Quickly stripping down and getting into his favourite jeans and a t-shirt. His blonde hair still damp and flattened to his head. 

Alan beats him back to the kitchen and has been oddly quiet all day. Which they put down to having to go home. Since Jeff moved the family to New York to be nearer his office, Alan has not been happy there. His brother’s rooms are basic and empty, as they are hardly ever home, and it has never felt like home without them. Scott moved out the second they reached New York and is planning on marrying next summer. 

Everything has changed since Scott went to Hogwarts, and none of it for the better. His comfortable existence in Kansas with his brothers and father and grandmother has disappeared. He has loved this last few weeks with Gordon and John lavishing attention on him. Maybe, just maybe he can stay with them. 

*TB*

“DAD!” Gordon cries happily the following morning, his father having come to pick Alan up. 

“SQUID!” Jeff cries back, equally delighted to be reunited with his other four boys. He would rather have them in New York, but they are happy here. They can meet their friends for lunch and quidditch practise. And even with his internship Jeff knows that Virgil has more time for them than he does. 

“Are you packed and ready to go back to school?” Jeff asks. 

Gordon shrugs. “Kind of” 

“Kind of as in you haven’t even thought about it?” Jeff asks laughing.

“Something like that” Gordon replies. 

“Get it done. And do your homework!” Jeff adds, knowing that he wouldn’t have done that either! 

“You sound like Virgil!” Gordon tells him rolling his eyes. 

“I am willing to take that as a compliment” Jeff replies. “Where are we going today? You guys know this place better than I do, so you can be my tour guides.” 

“Knockturn Alley is the best” Gordon announces. 

Virgil blanches. “Dad, I have never let him go down there, I swear!” Virgil interrupts. 

“Yeah it is true, he hasn’t!” Gordon confirms. 

“Keep it that way” Jeff demands. “Alan where do you want to go?” 

“Nowhere, I want to stay here. forever” Alan announces. 

“You know you can’t do that Al” Jeff tells him gently.

“It isn’t fair. It isn’t my fault I am too young for Hogwarts.” Alan replies, an obvious pout crossing his features. 

“We have been through this Alan” Jeff reminds him. 

“Whatever! IT IS NOT FAIR!” Alan screams back, this is his plan. To get banned from the today’s trip so he can think of a plan to stay here forever. He has been awake all night wracking his brains and the only thing he has come up with is hiding in Gordon’s trunk, knowing that his brother won’t bother checking it. 

“Grow up Allie, life isn’t fair” Gordon tells him unsympathetically. “Can we go to Diagon Alley? I will show you the broom I need” 

“Sure” Jeff replies happily, planning on the broom for Christmas for his fourth son, anything to keep the boys happy. 

Diagon alley is teeming with students getting last minute supplies, but Gordon doesn’t bother stopping any of them, instead choosing to grab his fathers hand and pulling him to the Quidditch shop. 

“Look at it dad, it is a work of art. It does zero to two hundred in six seconds. This is the broom that I need.” Gordon insists. 

Jeff knows that deep down, this is not a broom suitable for a child, but he would do anything to keep him happy. “I will see what I can do” 

“Thanks dad” Gordon replies, knowing that he is getting this broom. 

*TB*

Sure enough he rips open the broom as his first present. Throwing his arms around his dad’s neck, Gordon squeals in delight. 

Alan looks at the broom jealously. Not only was he forced back to New York, he does not have a broom. Especially not an international standard racing broom. He would do anything for this broom.

And he has had enough, of everything. Of his dad dictating his life, of his older brothers getting whatever they want so long as they look at it and bat their eyelids. Yet he gets nothing. 

Deciding to wait until everyone is asleep, Alan puts his new plan into action, sneaking into Gordons suite he is going to steal that broom, and go out for a fly. He has earnt this. he deserves this. 

Gordon is fast asleep, his back to the wall, and the broom wrapped up in his arms being cuddled. Alan slips it from him, replacing it with his fluffy niffler. Gordon doesn’t even stir. 

Alan has flown enough toy brooms, for the basic skills needed to get it off the ground. But this is too much, the brooms out of control before he even has the chance to get it outside, crashing through the window in Gordon’s room causing him to startle awake. 

Then he let’s out the most gut wrenching scream. His broom has been stolen. 

The scream brings the whole family running. Virgil looks out the window. The broom has crashed into a tree in the yard, and Alan has fallen over thirty feet and straight onto the rock hard frost covered ground below. 

“Allie?” Virgil gasps in shock, before leaping out the window after him. 

Jeff has the sense to use the stairs, and is followed by Gordon, Scott, John and grandma who all rush over to the stricken ten year old, while Virgil magically heals his own broken leg. 

“You know the stairs are only slightly slower right Virg?” Gordon asks. 

“Shut up!” Virgil replies, now bending over the unconscious Alan. 

“Is he okay?” Gordon asks. 

“I’m not sure. Both his legs are broken, and I want to get him over to St Mungo’s for a more thorough check.” Virgil replies. Running his wand over the fractures and muttering bone healing spells. 

Alan starts to move, his fingers uncurling from their position where they had gripped the broom. “Ow” He mumbles as his eyes start to flutter open. 

“Oh Allie!” Jeff says, wanting to wrap him up in his arms and never let him go. 

“Where does it hurt Al?” Virgil asks, helping him to sit up. 

“My back hurts, and my head” Alan confirms. “My legs did hurt but now they don’t” 

“I fixed them up for you, now we are going to take you over to St Mungo’s and get you checked out” Virgil tells him. “Can you stand?” 

“I think so” Alan replies, allowing Virgil to help him up into a sitting position and then up onto his feet. “I’m good. Can I just go back to bed?”  
“No!” Jeff shoots him down. “Come on. Lets get you to the hospital.

“This is what I am talking about, you don’t respect me!” Alan insists angrily. 

“Want me to knock him out for you dad?” Gordon asks.

“NO!” Jeff replies. “Gordon, John, Scott get back to bed and we will see you in a few hours.” 

“Fine. And you owe me a new broom!” Gordon tells Alan before heading back into the warmth of the house. 

*TB*

Virgil, as Alans brother is not allowed to administer the tests, but he is allowed to stay with him. The bruising on his spine is cleared up with a thick yellowish paste, and a pain killing potion for the headache. And just hours after breaking both of his legs Alan is fully healed and ready to go home. 

Where Jeff can interrogate him! 

“Why Alan?” He asks. 

The sun is starting to rise now as they sit down on the sofa. Alan doesn’t bother with looks of guilt – the only thing he regrets is getting caught! 

“because I am sick of doing what you tell me. Alan go to London, Alan go home, Alan be quiet, no Alan you can’t stay here where you’re happy. It Is always your decision, and I hate it. I HATE IT, I HATE NEW YORK AND I HATE YOU!” Alan screams. 

Jeff is shocked. This volatile angry child is not his Alan, and Jeff has no idea what to say or do.

“Allie, you do know you are going to Hogwarts next year. What is so bad about New York?” Virgil asks. 

“You aren’t there.” Alan sobs. “I hate being on my own so much. The summer was so much fun and then I had to go back and Grandma has been home schooling me, I haven’t made any friends, it is so lonely and boring. There are hospitals in New York you don’t have to stay here!” 

“Oh Allie” Virgil replies. “It doesn’t matter how far apart we are, I will always be here for you, and I will always love you. We will always love you. All of us, no matter how many brooms you crash! You might need to sort that one out with Gordon though, because he will prank you until you graduate Hogwarts if you don’t.” 

“Please don’t make me go back” Alan begs, 

“I can always move in here” Grandma announces. “And your father and brother can come to visit when they are free. What is the point of being a high up member of Magicusa if you can’t set up portkeys whenever you need to!” 

“You would do that?” Alan asks. 

“For you, and for your brothers. I would do absolutely everything” Grandma confirms, “And even your dad!” 

“Please daddy” Alan asks. 

“I will think about it” Jeff replies. He knows that he is hardly ever home and if this is a better environment for Alan then he will be happy to let him move to England with grandma and Virgil. 

“You mean my bachelor pad is about to become a creche?” Virgil asks, pretending to feel put out and annoyed. But the laughter in his eyes give away his true feelings. 

“I think so” Jeff tells him. “Let me sleep on it, Allie I suggest you go to bed, because as soon as quality quidditch supplies is open again, you will be buying your brother a new broom!” 

“But dad they are really expensive.” Alan complains.

“I know” Jeff tells him smiling. “Now get to bed”

*TB*

Once he has moved to London permanently, Alan reverts back into the sweet and happy child from the summer. And Jeff knows that is the true power of magic. Family.


	16. A terrible, horrible, no good very bad day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alan + shoot the hostage. 
> 
> it is Christmas in Kansas and Jeff finds his family being held at gun point - just who is going to save them this time, or will he lose his youngest boy to a senseless ad brutal murder?

“GORDON?!” a male voice is shouting his name, but it feels so far away and he ignores it to go back to sleep. This bed is so warm and comfortable, and he feels dreadful. Why would he ever want to get up?

He groans miserably when someone removes the thick heavy blanket from his shoulders, trying to bury himself deeper into the mattress. 

“Come on Gords. Everyone is waiting downstairs and daddy said we can’t open presents until you get up!” Alan tells him, jabbing him in the side with his index finger. 

“Go ‘way” Gordon replies. 

“GORDY!” Alan yells at him, “I WANT MY PRESENTS!” 

Gordon whimpers in pain as the sound causes his brain to pound within his skull. “Go get Gramma” Gordon tells him. 

Alan leaves the room in disgust, not even bothering to give him back his blanket, leaving it in a heap on the floor. 

There is a large, gift-wrapped box at the end of Gordons bed, which he hasn’t even gotten up to open. A Tracy family tradition started by their mom years ago in an attempt to get some peace and quiet on Christmas day. One present delivered by “Santa” which needs to be put together before it can be played with. 

Grandma’s hands are a lot more caring, as she sits on the mattress next to him. Placing a hand on his forehead before she wraps him back up in his blanket. “Where does it hurt Gords?” Grandma asks. 

“My head hurts and my throat, and my arms and legs and I feel sick” Gordon tells her. He doesn’t even know it is Christmas day, all he wants is to sleep and be left alone. 

“Stay there, I will get you something for your throat” Grandma tells him, returning with the traditional bottle of Tylenol before leaving him to get some sleep. 

Downstairs the usually festive atmosphere feels forced without Gordon. Presents are unwrapped while his lie abandoned under the tree. But they know that making Alan wait is cruel, he has never been patient, but even his heart isn’t in it. 

The house is crowded with four extra people. Virgil has given up his room to Lady Penelope and Kayo and moved in with Scott, while John and Alan sleep on an inflatable mattress in the dining room, while Parker takes his room. Kyrano has taken the spare room, and Gordon has lucked out with getting his own room.

There is a turkey slowly roasting in the oven, being watched over by Kyrano, while Kayo and Lady Penelope join the boys in the living room. 

“This is the first time I have ever experienced snow at Christmas” Kayo announces. 

“Do you wanna go and have a snowball fight?” Alan asks hopefully, knowing that she is always up for a fight! 

“Sure. Are you coming Pen?” Kayo asks, wondering if their aristocratic English friend will ever demean herself by throwing snowballs. 

“Of course I am! The boys don’t stand a chance if he join forces!” Lady Penelope replies. She has never been a fan of violence, but there are exceptions. 

Penelope and Kayo Vs Scott, Virgil, John and Alan are fairly evenly matched. Alan is given the job of preparing ammunition for his big brothers, a job he takes on with an indecent enthusiasm. 

No one notices the eyes staring at them through the hedge.

A truce is called when they are called back into the farmhouse for dinner. 

Shaking snow from their hair and clothes, they all go back indoors where the turkey is resting on the table, which is suffering under the weight of dishes filled with crispy roast potatoes, minted peas, carrots, broccoli, mashed potatoes. There are boats filled with gravy, and pots of sauce. 

Gordon’s empty chair is barely even noticed as they spread out across the table. Lady Penelope and Parker have bought Christmas crackers from England and even Jeff happily dons an orange paper crown while he carves the turkey from his spot at the head of the table. 

Sleepy and lethargic from eating their body weights in Kyrano’s delicious cooking, even Alan would happily go for a nap. Climbing up into Grandma’s lap on the sofa where they have as one party moved too. 

There is a feeling of contentedness among the group and no intention of moving. It is a big shock when the front door bangs open, and three men wielding guns force them up against the wall, demanding Jeff hand over one million dollars in untraceable cash, or they shoot to kill. 

Alan has his fingers gripped around Grandma’s sweater. He has never been so terrified in his life. 

“I don’t have that kind of cash in the house. And even if I did do you really think I would give it to you?” Jeff asks in disdain. 

“because if you don’t, I will place this gun into your little boys’ mouth and blow his brains out” 

Alan screams, and buries his face into Grandma’s sweater and starts to cry. 

“Now, I am going to take your child, and you are going to organise my money. You have fifteen ho- “ their captor doesn’t even finish the sentence before he is passed out cold. 

“GORDON?!” Jeff shouts in shock. 

His fourth son is standing in the doorway. “Dad, what’s going on?” he asks. 

Jeff has already moved to the body on the ground to check for a pulse and finding that he is breathing he removes his belt and uses it to restrain the intruder. 

“Where are the other two?” Jeff asks, not answering Gordon’s question.

“In the kitchen. I tied them up” Gordon replies. 

Jeff scoops Gordon up into his arms. “My hero. But how?” He asks.

“I heard Alan scream, and needed to investigate. They weren’t very intelligent, I just tricked them into the kitchen and hit them with that rolling pin Grandma pretends is for baking. What did they want anyway? 

“A million dollars” Jeff replies. 

“Amateurs” Gordon scoffs. “If they needed money there are far more easier ways of getting it from you”

Jeff laughs. It is true, if they had blonde hair, deep amber eyes and a penchant for practical jokes he probably would have handed the money over without a thought. 

The effort needed to stop the attempted extortion has drained Gordon of the little energy he has recovered by spending the day asleep, and he slumps against his father’s shoulder, who is still holding him tightly.

“I think we ought to get you back to bed unless you want to come and lie on the sofa. Maybe open some presents?” Jeff says to him. 

“Can I go back to bed?” Gordon asks. Presents sound great, he isn’t going to deny that, but the fatigue from this morning is back with a vengeance, and he would love nothing more than going back to sleep.

“Come on then. Mom can you deal with these scum bags for me?” Jeff asks. 

“Certainly, son. I will be delighted too” Grandma replies with a grin usually only matched by Gordon when he is pulling a prank. 

Gordon climbs back into bed exhausted. The present from this morning still wrapped. “I’m sorry dad. I didn’t mean to get sick at Christmas” 

“You don’t need to apologise son, and just think if you had been downstairs you would have not been able to save us. Get some sleep, your presents will be waiting and ready when you are. There are far more important things to worry about, and we all love you” Jeff tells him fondly. 

“Love you too” Gordon replies but his words are barely audible as he is already drifting back off to sleep.

Jeff wants to stay with him, but he knows that he is needed downstairs. Where he finds the three intruders are now tied together in the kitchen, and all are conscious again. 

The one who threatened Alan is now being subjected to Alan’s left-over snowballs being forced down the back of his coat and is freezing the skin on his back. 

“Can you not keep this dreadful little boy off of me?” 

“I would love to, but I am a but busy right now” Scott replies, smiling indulgently at his younger brother, who is now flinging left over peas at the three men. “Besides the police will be here soon, and then you can spend a nice long holiday in jail!” 

“I would rather go to jail than stay here a minute longer!” 

The three men are escorted from the house and into the back of the police van, each happy now to be out of the house and away from Alan. 

Who stands on the doorstep and waves them off. 

“See you in twenty years!” he yells as the doors are slammed shut, and the wannabe executioners are taken away.


	17. I didn't see that coming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon + False accusation.
> 
> When Gordon gets accused of cheating on an important exam, is anyone going to believe his innocence?

Gordon Tracy is nervous. This is never something he has been inflicted with before, but then again, he has never been in this position before. 

But he has worked his butt off the get to this stage. All night cram sessions with John and he finally knows exactly what to do. 

John’s infinite patience and Virgil’s endless cups of coffee have got him to this stage. 

But now he is on his own. 

No one can help him from here. 

Looking at the blank paper in front of him, the room is deathly silent and he hates it. Gordon has never enjoyed silence or sitting still, and now he has to do both for the next two hours. 

If he doesn’t want to fail the ninth grade. 

“Okay class, you may begin” his maths teacher, a strict and viscous bully of a man, who runs the classroom with an iron fist. 

Gordon flips the paper over and looks at the first question. 

And smiles. 

He is no longer in the room, but in his bedroom at home, with John and Virgil. John’s teaching and Virgil’s encouraging smiles are dancing in his vision. 

He can do this. 

Question one. Solve the following equation. 

X2+5x+6=0

He knows this one. This is the one him and John spend three days on last week. The formula is burned onto his brain. 

He carefully writes out the formula in the space below the equation. 

x=(-b±√(b^2-4ac))/2a

A = 1. B = 5. C– 6.

x=(-5±√(5^2-4*1*6))/2

Just like John told him, carefully and deliberately Gordon substitutes in the numbers. 

x=(-5±√(25-24))/2  
x=(-5±√1)/2

Now it is just a simple division problem, and even Gordon knows that he can do this. 

x=(-5+1)/2  
or 

x=(-5-1)/2

x=(-6)/2

x=(-4)/2  
X = - 2   
X = -3

Gordon knows that this is correct, and now he is even smiling as he moves on to the next question. Squeezing the tentacle of his plush squid, who has snuck along to the exam and is hiding in the pocket of his hoodie, there too wish him luck and make sure that his family are with him while he works his way through the questions. Looking at each one and focusing on the ones he knows he can do first. Knowing that there will be time for him to go back and complete the rest at the end.

At the end of the two hours, numbers and formulas are dancing around in his brain, but this time they are doing a happy dance. Wriggling pi signs, and Pythagorean theorems doing jumping jacks. He knows that there is no way he has got them all right, but he is so certain he has passed that he wants to leap into the air and let out a giant cheer. 

“Okay class, pens down, leave the papers at your desks and make your way out, anyone who talks before leaving the room will automatically get a zero and a one-way trip to summer school” Mr Hill announces. 

Gordon jumps up from his seat and legs it from the room, there is no way he is risking losing this grade.

Turning his phone on once he is out in the early summer sunshine, he finds good luck messages on the family group chat from everyone. Even Scott at Yale has remembered that this is Gordon’s biggest challenge this year, having not responded well to a strict teacher, who seems intent on making students fail for no other reason than bitterness. 

Squid climbs out pf his pocket and up onto his shoulder, and the pair take a selfie to add to the chat with thumbs up emojis. 

*TB*

There is a nervous wait all weekend, which his brothers help distract him from with a trip to the water park. But finally it is Monday morning. 

“I don’t remembering swallowing a load of caterpillars Virg” Gordon says at breakfast. But It is his father who answers him. 

“Butterflies?” Jeff asks. 

Gordon nods, he is so nervous now that he can barely eat the toast on his plate. 

“You’ll be fine. You have worked hard for this, and you will get what you deserve today Gords, I promise” Jeff tells him smiling. Knowing that he has made such an effort, is all that Jeff asks for. He can get straight D’s as long as they were the best grades he could have worked for. With Jeff it is the effort that counts, and not always the final result, but this time even he knows that Gordon has earned this. 

John even lets him have the front seat of Virgil’s car. As Alan and he jump into the back while their father waves them off. with his usual goodbye.

“Have a good day at school, boys. GORDON BEHAVE!” 

It is a long day, with every second feeling like fifty before he finally gets to his math class. This is the moment he has been waiting for. He needs to get at least eighty-five to pass the class, anything less than that and its summer school.

Mr Hill makes him stew for the entire period before finally announcing that he was going to give the tests back. 

To his surprise there is a post it note on the front of his folder labelled “SEE ME AFTER CLASS” all in capitals and triple underlined. 

This can’t be good; Gordon thinks as the rest of the class files out all discussing their grades.

The test paper is not in the folder, and Gordons heart sinks. He was so sure he had done well.

“You wanted to see me Sir?” Gordon asks. 

“Ah yes. Mr Tracy, we are taking a trip to the principals office” Mr Hill replies, not bothering to even hint at why. 

Gordon can feel his knees trembling in fear. This has never happened to him before. Not even earlier in the year when he didn’t bother taking the test, and instead just doodled on the pages before writing in random answers, not one relevant to the subject. His father had to beg Mr Hill to give him a makeup test, after he got grounded for a week. 

“Have a seat” the principal says to him, his voice full of disgust. Gordon is no stranger to this look and the last time he was given it resulted in detention for a month when he filled all the lockers in one of the corridors with water bombs, which fell out when the lockers were opened and soaked people. 

“Explain this?” Mr Hill asks, slapping down Gordon’s test pater. 

At the top is a grade he has become accustomed to seeing. A large red “F” but the number next to it is ninety-eight. Which means in a test of fifty questions he only got one wrong. 

Gordon is confused, a ninety-eight is not an “F”. 

“I don’t understand?” Gordon replies, looking at the test. 

“You don’t have the ability to get such a good grade, I want to know who helped you to cheat” Mr Hill asks.

“CHEAT?” Gordon exclaims in shock, his eyebrows disappearing up into his hairline. “I didn’t cheat, I swear” 

“Do you really think I am going to believe that? You once handed in your homework with was a caricature of me as a dog entitled “Mr hellhound” There is no way at all, that you can have earned a grade this good. Now tell me who it was who helped you to cheat, or you will be suspended. And that means no swim team, and you will be ineligible for the class trip at the end of the month” Mr Hill replies. 

Gordon is not going down without a fight, if they want to do this to him then he is calling reinforcements! “I want a lawyer!” he demands.

“I thought you might be defiant. I am going to call your father.” Principal Davies tells him.

“Do it” Gordon tells him, folding his arms across his chest, his fingers resting on his arms as he eyeballs Principal Davies. 

Sliding a loose strand behind her ear she starts to dial the number for his fathers office, having to dial this number so many times in the eight months Gordon has attended her school, she almost knows it off by heart only needing to double check the order of the last two digits. 

Gordon can only hear one side of the conversation, and from the ever-increasing volume from Mrs Davies, he can tell that the conversation is not going how she had planned.

Slamming the receiver down she turns back to Gordon. “Your father is on his way” 

“I didn’t even know you could breathe fire!” Gordon tells her, taking in her bright red face. 

“Go and stand in the corner” Mrs Davies replies. 

“Innocent until proven guilty, I think I will go and get some lunch, let me know when my father arrives” Gordon replies cheekily before leaving the room.

Once outside he bursts into tears. He put his heart and soul into this exam, and this is his reward. He wants Virgil, breaking out into a run he races across the yard ignoring the shouts of teachers telling him to walk and to the spot where Virgil and his senior friends always eat lunch together. “V-V-Virgy?” he cries, throwing himself into his big brothers’ arms and unleashing the hurt and anger he is feeling with big heart wrenching sobs.

Virgil has not seen Gordon cry this hard since they announced they were cancelling his favourite TV show.  
Not caring who sees him, Virgil walks Gordon out of the yard to the parking lot even though it is out of bounds during the day, as the students are not allowed to leave the campus. Once they are both settled in the car, Virgil starts to ask questions. Gentle probing questions to break through the barrier of tears and anguish.

“I d-d-d-didn’t do it Virgy I promise” Gordon cries. 

“Do what? Gords you’re scaring me” Virgil asks. 

“CHEAT!” Gordon wails. 

“EXCUSE ME?!” Virgil thunders. Causing the birds in the nearby tree to fly away in shock. 

“I didn’t do it” Gordon repeats. 

“Of course you bloody didn’t! You are a lot of things. You’re annoying, bratty, spoiled…” Virgil tells him smiling. 

“HEY!” Gordon replies. 

“Sweet, loving, talented” Virgil concludes. “But you are not a cheat. Now dry your eyes, we will go and get John and we will confront Davies and that old Hellhound!” 

Gordon giggles. “How did you know it was him?” 

Virgil grins, “because I had to deal with him too! He was a nightmare, gave me detention because I called him boring” 

“Isn’t that covered by the first amendment regarding free speech?” Gordon asks.

“Apparently not!” Virgil tells him. He has his phone out, messaging John with the meeting spot and a brief synopsis of what has happened. 

John is just walking over to the car, believing like his brothers that this is a case where rules can be broken when Jeff pulls into the car park, and the four unite in their anger and belief in Gordon’s innocence. 

“Are you okay?” Jeff asks, wrapping his arms around Gordon. 

“Now I know you all believe me, yeah. I am okay dad” Gordon replies. 

“Of course we believe you. I have seen how hard you have worked for this. I know you think that I am a workaholic who does nothing but work, but I see everything that goes on in my house!” Jeff tells him. “I am aware that it was Alan who threw your phone in the pool John even though you all covered for him so he wouldn’t get grounded, and I am aware that you Gordon was the one who added the moustache to my portrait in the living room. Neither of them know it but the repairs for both have come directly from their trust funds!” 

This gets a real laugh from Gordon. 

“Let’s go clear your name!” Jeff tells him with a grin.

Jeff leads the way to the principal’s office. He has had four children attend this high school, and between Scott, Virgil and John has only found himself in this office once before, and that was to collect an award for John. Then Gordon arrived, and now he knows the way to the office without having to ask for directions!

Principal Davies is still in the office when the four arrive, and are shown in. “Virgil and John don’t need to be here Mr Tracy. This is a straightforward suspension meeting” she says. 

“Oh I think they do need to be here; they are witnesses for the defence!” Jeff replied.

“You are going to try to defend this cheating?” Mrs Davies asks.

“No, I am here to defend my son, who is innocent and to issue you the chance to apologise” Jeff replies, pulling up one of the spare chairs and making himself comfortable. “Would you like a coffee?”

“You can’t just barge into my office and offer me my own coffee!” Mrs Davies rages. 

“You invited me” Jeff reminds her smiling. 

“Well that is not the point!” Mrs Davies said. 

“Ah yes the point. Where is the evidence that Gordon cheated?” Jeff asks.

“The fact he passed the test” Mrs Davies replies. “That was a difficult exam, and there is no way that lazy little imp got a near perfect grade” 

“May I see the test?” Jeff asks. 

Mrs Davies passes it across the desk for him to examine. 

Jeff leaf’s through it. The questions have been all been answered in the same way, showing all the stages he needed to work his way through each problem. The question he got wrong, he made a simple addition error near the end of the problem, and Jeff knows that Gordon will be kicking himself when he realises. 

“Gordon, how to you calculate the area of a circle?” Jeff asks, putting him on the spot. 

“Pi*R2” Gordon replies without hesitating. 

“In a right-angled triangle, if A = 3 and B = 4 what is C?” Jeff asks. 

“Erm, three squared is nine and four squared is sixteen. Add them together and you get twenty-five. So the square root of twenty-five is five. C is five.” Gordon replies. 

John is smiling, he doesn’t think he has ever been this proud of his little brother. 

Mrs Davies knows that both she and Mr Hill have jumped to conclusions, and now she has no other choice other than that apology.

“Can I have a look at the question I got wrong? I want to see what I did” Gordon asks his dad, who hands him the paper. 

Gordon studies it intensely for about thirty seconds. “Oh I should have added the two together instead of subtracting” he announces. 

“Gordon, I…” Mrs Davies starts. 

“Yes” Virgil prompts. 

“I am sorry, but you have never put this level of application in before. Why now?” Mrs Davies asks. 

“Mr Hellhound hates me and has been awful to me all year so I haven’t been trying. But there is no way I am coming back for summer school. So I studied!” Gordon tells her. 

“His name is Mr Hill” Mrs Davies admonishes him. 

“Yeah and in his spare time he guards the gates of hell” Gordon replies. 

“Gordon!” Jeff warns.

“It is true, he is awful dad!” Gordon complains.

“Yeah he is dad, I had him to” Virgil replies. 

“He is your teacher; you need to show him some respect” Jeff insists. “Just think, you keep your heads down, you do your work and you are out of here. He however has to come back” 

“I want him to apologise to Gordon, and you will reinstate his correct grade” Jeff tells Mrs Davies. “And in the meantime, I will be taking the boys out of this school for the rest of the day. I think we need to go and celebrate Gordon passing the ninth grade” Jeff says, getting up from the chair and turning to leave.

“Mr Tracy?” Mrs Davies calls, causing him to turn around. 

“Yes?”

“I am sorry for the confusion” Mrs Davies says.

“Confusion? No this was harsh and unfair, and you will ensure that it never happens again. Now come on boys lets go and spring Alan from his classroom with a family emergency and then we will go to the aquarium” Jeff replies. 

“You enjoyed that, didn’t you dad?” Virgil asked once they are back out in the fresh air.

“Oh yes!” Jeff replies with a grin. “No one falsely accuses my boys of cheating and gets away with it!”


	18. Panic! but not at the Disco

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott + phobia + panic attacks
> 
> Scott wakes up to find his whole life has been a lie.

Everyone is afraid of something. 

Gordon and lizards, Alan and spiders, Virgil and a coffee shortage, John and clowns. Scott, however, has one fear. One thing that haunts his nightmares and has done since the day his first lay eyes on his little brothers.

Scott is terrified of losing them. 

*TB*

Waking up Scott doesn’t even know that anything is wrong. Stretching his arms above his head, he throws back his blanket and jumps into the shower, almost as one movement. His routine has been honed to perfection over the years of never knowing if he will have the time to use his favourite strawberry and lime conditioner, which he has been trying to claim is Virgil’s for years! 

But today he even has the time for a proper blow dry, and not just a vigorous towel dry before legging it to his launch chute.

The lounge is empty when he arrives, but this is not unusual at this time in the morning. Alan and Virgil are not morning people, and Gordon is off the Island spending a week exploring an unmapped trench for the world heritage society. 

The house is still and silent, and not something Scott is used to. But at least this means he can have his coffee in peace! Flipping the switch for the machine, Scott smiles at the smell that assaults his nostrils. That wonderful first coffee of the day smell, is something he will never get tired of. 

The coffee smell usually brings with it his father and Virgil, but today it does not, as he sits down at the desk and pulls up an unfinished report, he is completing for the GDF. It is unfinished for two reasons. The first is that the report is long and needs a lot of his time and energy. The second is that it is exceedingly dull!

He manages to transcribe two paragraphs, before letting out a large yawn, this is the worst part of his job! Getting up he goes to wake his brothers, Scott needs company! 

But their rooms are empty. Even his father’s room is empty, and none of the beds have been slept in. “What the hell?!” Scott exclaims. “ALAN? VIRGIL? DAD? GRANDMA? BRAINS? KAYO?” he shouts all their names in turn, but there is no response from anyone. 

“John?” Scott calls, running back down the stairs and into the lounge once more. But there is no response. Not even from Thunderbird Five. 

It is getting difficult for him not panic. This is just a prank from Gordon, orchestrated from deep under the sea. Although how he even got John to agree he has no idea. 

“Base calling thunderbird 4? Gordon are you there?” Scott asks, pressing the button on the comm unit that gets him a direct link to the aquanaut, only this time there is nothing. Gordon doesn’t answer. “Gordon? This is not funny anymore!” Scott says, anger starting to rise now. Gordon’s pranks are rarely funny. 

Deciding that he needs to take proper action, remembering what John did so many years before when his life was in danger from an artificially intelligent computer program, before he befriended it! and tries a call to Lady Penelope, something weird is going on here, and he needs to know what. But she too fails to answer. 

“I have to get out of here” Scott announces out loud to the empty room. 

His launch chute doesn’t move after he wraps his hands around the wall brackets holding the lamps. None of them work. Scott is in the one place he feels truly comfortable, and now it’s over. Scott is all alone in hell. Alone, with no way of communicating, or even getting off the Island. 

Feelings of despair wash over him, and he starts to cry.

“Ah Scott, you are awake” a disembodied voice says, causing him to jump.

“What is going on? Who are you? Where are my brothers?” Scott asks.

“So many questions. Why don’t you take your medicine and then we will talk”

“What medicine?” Scott asks. 

“The medicine you were prescribed after the breakdown”

“I haven’t have a breakdown?” 

“Oh Scott, you know you couldn’t cope with losing your parents in the avalanche and invented this superhero façade to help you cope. Reinvented your whole life, becoming International Rescue, pretending that you are a Tracy, their older brother and a vital part of International Rescue, but Scott it is fiction. A fantasy in a book. Your adoptive parents tried Scott, really, they did. But they couldn’t cope with the delusions. The fires you started so you could take the credit for putting them out, tricking people into mines to you could go in after them. it was after those poor innocent men died in the storm drain which you rigged to collapse that they sent you here to me.” 

“I don’t believe you. I WANT MY BROTHERS” Scott screams in agony.

“You don’t have brothers, you have no real family at all. You aren’t on an island; this is a hospital Scott. Look around you properly. Really look and you will realise. I need you to focus on your surroundings. I don’t want to lose you forever.” 

“Who are you?” Scott asks again. 

“Oh Scott, I am Dr Dexter, I have been treating you here for the last seven years.” 

Finally the man starts to move out from the shadows. “Come on Scott, you need to take your meds” 

“I don’t want to” Scott replies even though the words sound petty and childish when he says them aloud. 

“You don’t have a choice Scott, if I need to use force then I will, but I would really hope that you had made some progress in the time that you have been here” Dr Dexter announces. 

“Are you the Hood?” Scott asks. 

“No. That is another one of your delusions, there is no such person. You got the idea of him from the old books about International Rescue, about a man with a magical eye. Look” Dr Dexter hands him the comic book, and Scott starts to flick through it. the bald guy leaps of the page at him, one bright yellow eye controlling his every thought, and emotion. 

“THIS ISNT REAL!” Scott cries, “IT CAN’T BE” 

“It is real Scott. Come on now calm down. Please calm down, don’t force me to restrain you” Dr Dexter says. 

“BRING IT ON” Scott is hysterical now. The Island he thought he knew so well is melting around him, the sandy white beach is now a solid wall with a poorly drawn mural, and he knows that Virgil would have done a much better job of it. looking at the room again, Scott realises that this must be his room. There is a single bed up against the wall. A small window, with bars across the outside to keep him in. Scott knows that he is trapped. 

Throwing himself down on the bed taking deep breathes to stave off the panic attack but his whole body is shaking. “T-t-tell me about my b-b-brothers” He begs. 

“I will, all in good time but I think you need to get some rest” Dr Dexter says. His voice is calm and soothing, and Scott finds himself listening despite everything. “Good boy” 

Scott barely even notices the needle penetrating his skin but his eyelids instantly fall closed.

Dr Dexter, places a blanket over him, tucking it around his shoulders before gently stroking his hair. “Good boy” he repeats, before slowly backing out of the room and locking the door behind him.

*TB*

Scott is less disorientated when he next finds himself conscious. His brain is ready for it, and this time he recognises the room. The dull grey of the walls. The ugly mural. The barred window. But this time he realised that there is more to the room than just the bed and terrible décor. A desk nailed to the wall, just like the bed and a bookcase full of books. 

Running his finger down the spine of the cover of the one called “Ring of Fire” before pulling it from the shelf.

The cover of the book is taken over by a large photo of the solar collector in Taiwan. In black type scrolled across the cardboard page: A step to far for the four Tracy brothers?

Taken aback Scott sits down on the wall, his back to the wall and starts to read the story of how the four brave members of international rescue have stopped the Hood from setting off a series of earthquakes in the pacific, saving hundreds of lives. But where is he? Alan, Gordon, Virgil and John are all there but where is he?

There are another 70 books on the shelf detailing every rescue that he has been on, only he didn’t go on any of them. He was here in this prison cell like hospital all the time. He never had that life, he never had them. 

Scott’s biggest fear growing up was being alone, so he invented himself a family and now they have been torn away. 

Scott Tracy is all alone. 

“Oh god. What is my real name?” he thinks, realising that he has been Scott Tracy for so long, that he has no idea who he really is anymore. He is no longer Scott Tracy. He is…?

There is nothing. His mind is blank. “What if my last name is something terrible or embarrassing or unpronounceable!” 

“I DON’T KNOW WHO I AM” Scott screams into the void oh his room, tears springing to his eyes and threatening to spill down his cheeks.

Once again, the panic starts to envelope his mind, grabbing fistfuls of his hair in his hands and pulling on the strands until his fingers can no longer grip the strands, his heart is pounding in his chest and his crying won’t stop. Tears are falling from the bottom of his chin, landing on his shirt but he makes no effort to wipe them away. 

Resting his head on knees before curling up into a ball on the floor, Scott cries until there are no more tears before falling back to sleep.

*TB*

“He is in here!” Gordon cries, bursting in through the locked door. “Oh Scott, what have they done to you?” 

He is shocked by Scott’s condition, his eldest brother is lying on the floor of what his cell, sobbing and shaking. 

“VIRGIL? IN HERE!” Gordon shouts urgently. 

“Scott it’s Gordon we are going to get you out of here and take you home.” Gordon tells him. 

Scott doesn’t reply, this is not real, this is a mirage. Gordon Tracy is a fictional character in a book. 

Virgil storms into the room, his face is red with anger as he bends down to examine his brother. “Scott are you hurt?” 

“N-n-no” Scott stutters. Waving his arms around, trying to get the hallucinations to go away. This isn’t real, there is no way that this can be real. 

“L-L-Leave me alone” he whimpers. “DOCTOR?” he cries. 

Virgil has seen enough, lifting Scott up over his shoulder he walks him from the room Gordon close at his heels, desperate to get him out of here and into the waiting Thunderbird Two. Strapping him to the stretcher in the medical bay to stop him from hurting himself in panic. “Gordon stay with him, keep talking to him. God knows what lies that psycho told him” 

Gordon nods, and Virgil can’t remember the last time he ever saw the aquanaut looking so serious. 

“Hey Scott” Gordon says, looking into the terrified eyes of his big brother. Their usual blue are bloodshot and can’t stop staring at Gordon. 

“You aren’t real” Scott tells him. 

“I am real. You are real. I have no idea what happened to you in there Scott but it is over now, and we are taking you home” Gordon replies.

“The books” Scott gasps. There is no way the books were faked.

“What books?” Gordon asks confused. 

“The International Rescue books. Oh God. I am a murderer” Scott says. “Those poor people in the drain” there are more tears as he struggles against the straps. 

“Scott, you aren’t making sense. That room was blank” Gordon replies confused. “There were no books” 

“I don’t know” Scott whimpers. “Gordy, please don’t leave me” 

“Never Scott, you are my brother and I love you.” Gordon reassures him, taking his hand in his.

Scott is surprised that it is solid, this can’t be another hallucination. Gordon really is here.

“We never gave up hope that we would find you Scotty, the entire two weeks that he had you we never stopped looking, and we will never give up on you. We love you” 

“Who was it?” Scott asks. Now he is in Thunderbird Two he is finally starting to regain his memories, his real memories. 

“We only know him as the Doctor. The GDF have him now and they are investigating.” Gordon tells him.

“Dexter” Scott replies. “His name was Dexter. Gordon, I think he drugged me. There is so much I can’t remember and so much that makes no sense, I wanted to die when I thought I didn’t have you and Virgil and John and Alan anymore.” 

“You will always have us” Gordon tells him. “We are not going anywhere” 

“Promise?” Scott asks. 

“I promise” Gordon tells him. “We are family. And in a family, no one gets left behind” 

“Coming into land” Virgil calls back through the plane before starting his decent and bringing Scott back into the safety of the hangar. 

Where everyone is waiting for him. And he throws himself into his father’s arms, still scarcely able to believe that this is real, he is alive. 

And he is a Tracy.

He is Scott Tracy of International Rescue.


	19. Broken Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lady Penelope + mourning loved one

Lady Penelope did not want to get out of bed, did not want to carry on living without him. He had been such a large part of her life for so long, but it was never going to last forever she knew that.

But did it have to end like this?

There is a gentle knock on her bedroom door, and she want to scream at the intruder to leave her alone in her grief and allow her to be alone. 

Would it be selfish to do so? Right now she doesn’t care. She doesn’t care about anything. 

“Pen?” the voice calls from the other side of the door. 

Him. It is always him; he was there for her when she needed him the most. 

And he is still here. He is never going away.

“Come in Gordon” She replies, wiping the tears from her face and remembering that Gordon loved him just as much as she had. 

He was the one who stayed with her, holding her hand when he took his final breathe and he is the one who requested a few days leave from International Rescue so he can be here for her.

No she doesn’t have to go through this alone. 

Folding herself into his toned and muscled arms. She can feel his strength coursing through his blood.

She loves him, and she will always love him. But she has to carry on living. He wouldn’t want her to stop being her, to stop living her life. 

“Gordon?” She says her voice cracking with emotion. 

Gordon doesn’t answer her, instead he continues to hold her and let her speak scared that if he interrupts now, she will stop.

“Thank you. For everything” She tells him. 

He settles back against the headboard, while she rests her head on his chest. She loves the way she fits into his arms. 

“Virgil suggested a memorial piece. A painting of him in his favourite spot. To immortalise him forever” Gordon tells her. 

“That sounds nice” Penelope replies, for the first time in days there is a hint of hope in her voice. 

“Oh good, because he is downstairs painting it!” Gordon tells her with a sheepish grin. “And Alan is helping Cookie sort out some food, she keeps telling him to get out of her kitchen but he is trying! John and Kayo are organising the funeral, we picked a spot that we know he loves” 

Penelope can’t believe it. “You’re all here?” she asks. 

“Of course we are. Do you really think that we would let you go through this alone?” Gordon asks.

“But he was just a dog” Penelope says.

“There is no such thing as just a dog. He is family, you are family. We love you, never forget that” Gordon tells her. 

“I love you all too” and for the first time since her beloved Sherbet was put to sleep a genuine smile appears on her face. 

“But you love me the most right?” 

“I do”


	20. Toto I don't think we are in Kansas anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy + Gordon + Alan + lost.
> 
> on the way to an award ceremony, Lucy and the boys are in an accident. can anyone save them in time or is the family going to be torn apart?

“Gordon, Alan come on we will be late” Lucy calls up the stairs. She has promised their father that she will get him to the office in time for the big award ceremony. 

Four-year-old Alan comes hurtling down the stairs, the jacket from his suit has already been discarded and his bow tie has come undone and is dangling loosely around his neck.

“Oh Allie!” She says in exasperation. “Come here” 

“GORDON? WHERE ARE YOU?!” Lucy shouts.

“He went outside” Alan replies, desperately trying to wriggle free of her grasp while she redoes his bowtie and tries to wipe a smudge off his cheek. 

“He had better not be filthy” Lucy groans throwing open the back door.

Her five-year-old monster is jumping up and down in one of the muddy puddles, a gift from the heavy rain shower from the previous evening. 

“GORDON COOPER TRACY” Lucy screams at him, causing him to startle. “GET IN THIS HOUSE RIGHT NOW” 

“Indoor voice mommy” Alan tells her helpfully. 

But she is already marching across the yard before scooping him up from the ground. “WHAT DID I TELL YOU?” she shouts, holding him at arm’s length, so he doesn’t get her dress dirty.

“I dunno” Gordon shrugs. 

Knowing that she does not have time to get him clean and into new clothes. His father is going to be furious if they show up like this, or if they are late. She is just grateful that Jeff’s mom is going to pick Scott, Virgil and John up from school and take them into the city. 

There is no remorse in her son, he has done this deliberately to annoy her and she Is not in the mood for his childish antics as she marches him into the house and starts to strip off his filthy clothes, and wiping as much mud as possible from his skin rubbing his face until it is red and sore.

She keeps her mouth shut, knowing that if she speaks now it may be something she will regret once she has calmed down, but vowing to put him to bed in disgrace the minute they get home. 

Gordon’s bedroom is a mess with discarded clothes and toys everywhere, but she knows where his spare formal outfit is. Slipping the new short sleeved crisp white shirt over his shoulders she starts to button it up before handing him a pair of plain black trousers to put on and new socks and shoes while she clips a tie around his neck. 

“Right let’s go” Lucy tells him, grabbing his hand and walking him down the stars. 

Alan is sitting on the sofa, stiller than a statue. Too afraid to move for fear of getting shouted at.

“Alan, come on” She tells him, her voice is calmer now, but there is still anger in the words. 

“I wanna sit up front” Gordon announces.

“No you don’t, you are both sitting in the back, and from now until we reach the city neither of you say a single word. I want no arguing or complaining and when we get home the pair of you are going straight to bed without supper” Lucy announces, opening the rear door of the car and helping Alan into his car seat. Making sure he is safely strapped in and comfortable. 

“Come on Gordon your turn” Lucy tells him. Before strapping him in the other side. Still not tall enough to use a booster seat, the straps snake down his shoulders. And hold him in place. Gordon sneaks Squid from under his shirt and starts to play with the old plush toy, before Lucy grabs it from his hand and throws it on to the front seat. “No Gordon. You don’t behave you don’t get rewards” 

“But mooooooooom” he whines.

“What did I say? You are both to remain silent until I tell you otherwise. We are running really late, and I do not need any more of your attitude” Lucy replies before slamming her door shut and firing up the engine. 

The drive into the city is one she has taken hundreds of times before, and after a while as she puts more distance between her and that muddy puddle she starts to calm down. 

Her passengers have taken her warning seriously and there is not even I hint of bickering, and maybe she could lift their talking ban now she is not as angry, starting to plan a cover story for why they are so late and letting her little Gordo off the hook, after all he is just a child. Glancing back into the review mirror, she finds both of her little ones fast asleep, and vows to scoop her little Fishie up into her arms for a cuddle the minute they get to their destination. 

Turning the radio up, Lucy starts to enjoy the drive, the wide-open rural roads past vast wheat fields and the fast fading light as night starts to fall. And with it the temperature outside. Snow is forecast within the next few days, and there is nothing more magical than that first snowstorm of the year. Watching the flakes fall while they are all warm and safe, snowball fights with Jeff and the boys followed by hot chocolate by the fire, skating on the lake and sledging down the fill behind the farmhouse. Winter is Lucy’s favourite time of the year.

“Momma” a small voice pipes up from the back seat. 

“What’s wrong Allie?” she asks. 

“Where are we?” he asks.

“About halfway there, sweetie go back to sleep” Lucy replies smiling, turning round briefly to give him a reassuring smile.

“MOMMA NO” Alan screams, spotting the danger before she does as an adult stag leaps out across the road and the front of the car smashes into the animal before the car veers to the other side, runs along side the hedge on the other side and rolls over onto its roof. 

Alan screaming in terror, and the sound rips through her soul. She knows that her focus and priority right now is her children, and that one thing is focusing her own fears. She can’t be scared until they are okay and safe. Unclipping her seat belt, her head smacks down on the roof of the car and she swears loudly, as a blinding pain strikes the top of her skull.

Crawling through the smashed window, cutting her hands and knees on the broken glass Lucy finds herself outside in the cold crisp air.

Alan is still screaming, but Gordon has not made a single sound. But she can’t get them out, both doors are too severely damaged and she can’t get into the back of the car. All she can do is crawl back through the window and try and get them out through the gap between the seats.

“Allie, I need you to calm down” Lucy says, leaning through the gap to where her children are suspended upside down the belts digging into their shoulders. 

“Alan does it hurt anywhere?” she asks, not wanting to move him if he is injured.

But he is in shock and is hysterical and doesn’t even seem to hear her. 

She needs help, and she needs it now. reaching down onto the roof which is now the floor, she gropes for her phone, but only finds Gordon’s squid. Pulling the toy up into her arms her heart sinks, as she remembers exactly where her phone is. In the bathroom, where she left it when she was cleaning mud from Gordon. 

Turning her attention to her fourth child, she is dismayed to find his eyes are still tightly closed and that dismay turns into an even deeper fear than anything she has felt so far. 

There is a small trickle of blood at his temple. 

Lucy has never felt so afraid in her life. 

*TB*

“Hey dad” Virgil calls as John, Scott and he enter their father’s office once they have arrived. All have gotten changed out of their school clothes of jeans and hoodies and into their suits. 

“Boys” Jeff greets them warmly. “Have you seen your mother anywhere, she hasn’t got here yet” 

“No. we just arrived with Grandma. Where is the buffet dad? I am starving” Scott says.

“After the presentation, if you’re hungry grab my wallet and go over to the bakery across the street. But take your grandma with you.” Jeff replies smiling. He trusts his eldest completely, but he doesn’t know the area that well. 

“Okay. See you in a bit” Scott replies, grabbing the wallet and running from the room before he changes his mind. 

Jeff waits until he is gone and out of hearing range, before he calls her again. The phone rings before going to voicemail.

“Hi this is Lucy Tracy. I can’t answer your call right now please leave a message and I will get back to you” 

“Luce? It is Jeff. You were supposed to be here an hour ago I am starting to get worried. Please call me back” Jeff leaves her yet another message before hanging up the phone and getting up from the desk.   
Sod the presentation, he is going to find his wife and children, because Jeff knows that there is something wrong.

*TB*

Alan’s cries are dying down into painful whimpers, as Lucy reaches through the gap and just clasps his hand.

“Momma?” Gordon whimpers.

“Gordy” Lucy gasps, simply happy to see him awake, a small mercy.

“Hurts momma” he tells her weakly.

“I know Gordy just sit as still as possible, help is on the way and we are getting out of here I promise.” Lucy reassures him. Only wishing that she felt as brave as her voice sounds. She has no way of knowing what the time is, as it is getting too dark to see her watch. 

“Are we still in Kansas?” Gordon asks. 

“Yes sweetheart, we are still in Kansas, just sit tight” Lucy replies. 

She can’t leave them here alone, but she needs to go and get help. Wriggling back through the gap. They both start to cry again. “Momma don’t go” Alan pleads. 

“I’m right here boys, I just need to see if I can find someone to help us. I am staying with the car okay. You just have to trust me” Lucy tells them.

“Oh god” Lucy sighs once she is back in the open air. “Where the hell are we?” nothing looks familiar. Well that isn’t true, it is a stretch of road surrounded by wheat just like every other road in this area. A few tears escape as she realises that not only are they hopelessly lost but that no one will even realise until after the award ceremony. 

No one is even looking for them.

*TB*

“Something is wrong Mom I can feel it; I need to go and find Lucy” Jeff insists. Following the boys into the bakery and pulling her to the side. “Lucy isn’t here, and you know she thinks being late is a capital offense! My wife and children are missing” 

“Dad what are you talking about?” Virgil asks. 

“Your mom and brothers still aren’t here Virg. I can’t get hold of them and we need to go and look for them” Jeff replies deciding that honesty may just be the best policy.

“No, they can’t be. They are just stuck in traffic or something” Scott tells him joining the party with John and a bag full of bagels. 

“We are going” Jeff insists. There is a deep and uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach that is growing ever bigger the longer he stands here. “Scott you can come with me and Virgil and John will go in Grandmas car. Call me if you find them before we do” 

Scott thinks he is overreacting but follows him from the bakery and back to the office where he has his car parked in the car park under the building. 

There are two main routes out of the city and towards the farmhouse, Jeff taking the one heading Northwest and Grandma the one that heads west before swinging north before the two meet about five miles from home. Jeffs fingers tightly grip the steering wheel, as he makes his way northwest and leaves the city far behind. 

He is getting close; he can feel it. 

“DAD! OVER THERE” Scott shouts, pointing to what looks like a vehicle upside down up ahead. Jeff pulls over and jumps out the car Scott on his heels.

“LUCY?” he calls. 

“Jeff?!” a female voice calls back, in disbelief.

He has found her at last. “I am coming Lucy” 

“The boys Jeff, they are still in the car. I can’t get them” She says throwing herself into his arms and starting to cry. 

“Are you hurt?” Jeff asks. 

“I don’t even know anymore. Just save my babies Jeff” she says. 

“I have tools in the back of the car, Scott go and get them, call your grandma and tell them where we are and call an ambulance” Jeff barks orders, which Scott jumps to accept, feeling terrible that he didn’t take this seriously. 

Jeff uses a tyre wrench to force open Gordon’s door before carefully extracting him from the seat. “Daddy?” he whispers, snuggling into him before Jeff hands him to Lucy. The blood from his head wound is now dry and sticky, and his face in the moonlight is deathly pale. 

“He needs a doctor Jeff” Lucy tells him. 

“Ambulance is on the way” Scott tells her as he hangs up the phone. “Mom what happened?” 

“A deer ran out in front of us, and I couldn’t avoid it. Jeff I am so sorry for missing the ceremony” 

“You think I care about that? None of that matters. What I care about is right here” Jeff replies, now back in the car as he tries to free Alan, who is now clinging to him as his life depends on it. 

Grandma arrives on the scene, following the ambulance which follows with its lights blaring and pulls in behind the wrecked car. 

“Who is hurt?” one of the paramedics asks. 

Lucy is still holding Gordon, who isn’t moving or whimpering anymore. His eyes are glassy and unfocused but he is breathing. “This is Gordon” she says as she climbs up into the warm ambulance and lies him down on the stretcher. 

“Hi Gordon, I am Cheryl can you tell me what hurts?” 

“I d-d-don’t know” he tells her. 

“Okay Gordon I think we ought to take you to the hospital now. Mom can come with you okay” 

Gordon nods, and instantly regrets doing so as the slight movement makes him feel sick, and he sways slightly before throwing up all over the stretcher and bursts into tears.

“D-d-don’t feel good” he groans. 

“I have someone who will make you feel better” Lucy says bringing Squid from the pocket of her jacket where she has been keeping him safe. 

“S-s-squid” he stutters, as she gives him his plush toy before sitting down on the bench in the ambulance and taking hold of his hand, not caring that she is getting covered in his vomit. She is just glad that he is alive. 

A second ambulance takes Alan away, Scott going with him so that Jeff and Grandma can follow in the cars. 

Gordon is taken from her the second they get to the hospital for further checks, and x-rays while her own injuries are assessed. She is relieved that apart from a few cuts and bruises, she has escaped serious injury and can focus her energies on the two people who need her the most right now. 

Gordon is diagnosed with severe bruising to his chest and shoulders from the seat belt straps, which have protected him from being thrown from the car and are a small price to pay for saving his life. His left collarbone is broken, severe enough to require surgery which is booked for the following morning, and he has a bad concussion. The doctor keeps him sedated and in intensive care as a precaution, as he is still showing signs of distress, but they allow Lucy to stay with him throughout the night and while he is prepared for his operation. 

Alan got away a lot lighter, he has similar bruising to his shoulders and chest but fortunately no broken bones, and he too is set up with his own room in the hospital with Jeffs influence is the one next to Gordon. 

“Daddy, are we still lost?” Alan asks the following morning.

“No Allie” Jeff replies, “You’re safe now” 

“Oh goody, I didn’t like being lost” 

“I didn’t like it either Allie, and I am very glad that you’re here with me now” 

“Is Gordy okay?” Alan asks.

Jeff looks at his watch and knows that Gordon will be being taken for surgery right now. “Yeah, he is going to be fine. He might have to stay here a little longer though” 

“Why? He won’t want that” Alan insists. “This place smells funny and this toast is worse than grandmas!” 

*TB*

Gordon has kept in hospital for a week, and by day four is bored and restless. There is a plate with six screws holding his collarbone together to allow it to heal. And every day the headache is diminishing, and he is starting to feel better. 

And he is starting to complain. Gordon has never been good at lying still and being quiet and now he has to do both and it is not his idea of a good time. He wants to go swimming and play with his brothers. Not lie here quietly when he could be running around planning his next prank! The food Is bland, as the doctors won’t let him eat anything tasty. 

“I wanna go home” He tells Grandma, who has popped in for a visit with Alan who is recovering nicely. 

“Hello to you too!” She replies smiling. “I bought you a present” 

That perks him up a little, as his eyes start to reignite that sparkle that they all love. “Ooo” he says struggling to sit up properly, until Lucy adjusts the bed for him. 

Gordon pulls out the piece of paper. “What is this?” he asks in confusion. 

“Your discharge papers!” Lucy tells him with a grin.

“My what?” Gordon asks. 

“The papers the doctor signed about five minutes ago which says you can come home” 

“Really? Now? Let’s go!” Gordon says enthusiastically, climbing down from the bed and heading to the door.

“Not so fast young man” Lucy tells him. “The doctor wants you to leave in this chair” 

Gordon accepts the wheelchair is good grace, as he will do anything to get out of here even though he is perfectly capable of walking. 

It is snowing lightly as they leave the building, and Gordon is grateful that grandma has bought him a blanket to keep him warm. there are two brand new car seats in the back, and Lucy helps get Gordon strapped in. 

“momma I want to go back in the hospital” Gordon announces. “I don’t wanna go in the car” 

“It’s okay Gordy, you’re going to be fine. What did we tell Scotty the time he fell of the horse during the summer?”

“Get back on?” Gordon replies. 

“And he did, and he didn’t fall off again did he?” Lucy says

“No” Gordon whispers. 

Gordon is tense for the whole of the hour long ride back home, but the journey is uneventful and they get home in time for lunch. 

“You okay Gords?” Lucy asks, as he helps him out the car. His left arm is still in a sling but apart from that and a small scar near his hair line he is looking more like his old self every day.

“Yeah, I think so” Gordon replies. 

“Come on then let’s get you in the house.” Lucy takes his hand in hers, and Alans in the other and the three walk into the house together, while Grandma carries the two small bags of dirty laundry. 

Scott, John, Virgil and Jeff are all waiting for them in the kitchen and on the table, there are two large pizza boxes. 

“DADDY” Gordon cries, running over to his father and throwing his good arm around his legs. 

“GORDY!” Jeff cries back equally loudly. 

“Indoor voice daddy!” Alan admonishes him. 

“Yeah dad, indoor voice” Scott adds. 

“Careful Scott, or your father might send you back to school this afternoon” Lucy tells him with a grin. 

Reunited with his family, and several slices of pizza later and Gordon is fast asleep on the sofa lying in Grandma’s arms.

“It is so good to be home” Lucy says as she helps Jeff clear away lunch. 

“It is so good to have you both home” Jeff tells her happily, and even though it is only two o’clock he pulls out a bottle of wine. “Shall we?” he asks. 

“Last time we did in the middle of the afternoon, we ended up with Virgil!” Lucy reminds him giggling. 

“Worth it!” Jeff replies fondly, pouring two glasses and sitting down at the table. 

“What ever did happen to the award you were supposed to be getting?” Lucy asks remembering why they were on the road in the first place. 

“I have no idea!” Jeff replies. And he doesn’t care, he has the best reward in the world right here under this roof and he wouldn’t swap them for all the industry awards in the universe. 

“I have never been that scared before Jeff” Lucy admits. 

“Me neither” Jeff also confesses. “But we can and will get through everything just so long as we have each other.” 

“And this bottle of wine!” Lucy says smiling. As they raise a glass to their perfect family.


	21. I don't feel so well

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil + infection
> 
> Tracy brothers all handle being sick in different ways. Virgil will hide until he is at death's door

Grandma Tracy loves her life dearly. There are so many reasons to be grateful for everything she has. But days like today she really would love to be in a five-star resort getting a tan.

Her grandsons all have different ways of dealing with being poorly. 

Alan chooses the lie on the sofa with a blanket while he sips on soup and whines. The whole family knows when Alan has a headache, or sore throat, or cold. He makes sure they know!

Gordon is the easiest to look after, as he will shut himself off from the household and remain in bed sleeping his illness away, a legacy from his near fatal fight with pneumonia when he was ten years old. 

John is surprisingly bad at being ill. Even the slightest hint of a cold and he is down from thunderbird five and on the sofa needing to be looked after. 

Virgil and Scott will do anything to avoid detection when they are sick. Dosing up on cold medicine and carrying on relentlessly, and this is why Grandma Tracy is now sitting beside Virgil’s bedside in the infirmary while he battles to overcome a severe respiratory infection.

*TB*

The week started off in its usual crazy fashion. Gordon is in the pool doing his morning laps, while Scott and Jeff decide to join him with a pot of fresh coffee. Relaxing on the lounge chairs watching Gordon furiously carve through the water like he is being chased by a large alligator intent on eating him. 

The peaceful mornings never last long, and sure enough Gordon is barely up and out of the pool before the klaxon sounds and they all come running from all over the house. Alan and Virgil from upstairs where they have just been woken up. Grandma from the kitchen where she has been making up a steaming batch of porridge. Gordon, Scott and Jeff from outside and Brains and Kayo from the lab where they have been working round the clock to fix a fault with Thunderbird Shadow.

“What’s the situation John?” Jeff asks, taking his position at the desk. 

He has been back in the boys lives now for nearly a year, and Scott loves not having that additional responsibility anymore. He actually even managed to take a vacation, switching off from his life for a full week and managing to recharge his batteries for the first time in over ten years. 

“Two climbers stranded on the top of Everest. Simple search and recovery, you should be find to tackle this one on your own Scott” John advises him. 

“Everest? Isn’t that in England? Take me with you and drop me off at Penny’s on the way” Gordon requests.

“No it is not! Don’t you have a degree in oceanography?” Scott asks laughing. 

“Yes and that mountain is not in the ocean. It is in England” Gordon replies. 

“No it is not!” Scott laughs. “And no I am not taking you to Penelope. I am a highly trained professional rescue operative and not your personal taxi service!” 

Scott runs to the launch chute to avoid further arguing and begging from Gordon. 

“How about you drop me in the RAD?” Gordon shouts at his retreating back.

“How about I drop you out the hatch without a parachute?” Scott calls back.

“Sure! Let’s go!” Gordon grins. 

Only for Jeff to grab the back of his shirt and hold him back. 

In the laughter, no one notices Virgil slink back out the room now he knows that he is not needed and go back to bed. 

*TB*

The next rescue finds him and Gordon both squeezed into thunderbird four, helping to evacuate the crew of a broken-down submarine. Deep underwater missions when your head aches are the worst. Deep underwater missions with a sarcastic, energetic blonde aquanaut when your head aches are enough to make you wish you were no longer alive. 

Usually Gordon and Virgil are really close, but today Virgil would happily do what Scott threatened, and throw him from the hatch on the way home without a parachute! 

Gordon isn’t doing anything wrong; he is simply happy that they have saved the crew without any complications and gotten them back to their base in one piece.

Sitting back in his seat, his feet up on the dash, ignoring Virgil’s irritated little moans he spends the journey home cracking jokes he found on the internet.

“Hey Virg. There are two cats who decide to have a swimming race. The cat’s names are one two three and un deux trios. Which cat won” Gordon asks. Cracking up before he even gets to the end of the sentence.

“Shut up” Virgil replies.

“Huh? No that’s not one of the cat’s names. It Is one two three by the way… because… un deux trois cat sank!” 

Virgil doesn’t react. Not even an eye roll.

“Virg?” Gordon asks. 

“What?!” Virgil snaps. 

“Are you okay?” Gordon asks. Usually he can get a groan or an eye roll and sometimes even manages to raise him to a face palm. 

“I’m fine. Can you just shut up for five minutes?” Virgil replies. 

“Woah Virg? Touchy much?” Gordon replies.

“Shut. Up” Virgil growls. 

Even Gordon gets the hint and lapses into silence. Sneaking glances over at him when he thinks he is not looking. 

They approach Tracy Island in silence, the concentration needed not to ditch Thunderbird Two in the ocean is making his headache worse by the second. Shaking his head to clear the fog makes him feel sick and dizzy. 

Thunderbird Two nose dives down towards the ocean, and it is only Gordons quick reflexes in grabbing the slave controls that save them both from testing out their Thundersub mode. 

“Virgil?” Gordon asks, as his elder brother is slumped over the controls breathing heavily. Virgil remains slumped, not even able to lift his head.

“I don’t feel so well” He finally admits, before losing consciousness and falling sideways into Gordon’s lap.

“It is okay Virg, I am going to get us home.” Gordon says not realising that he has overshot the Island by ten miles. “Thunderbird two to base” he calls calmly. 

“Go ahead Gordon. What’s happened?” Jeff asks. 

“Ask Grandma to prepare the sick bay, there is something wrong with Virgil” Gordon replies, not wasting words. 

“On it son, where are you going? The island is this way” Jeff replies. 

“Sorry, turning back now, I will explain everything when we get home” Gordon replies, swinging the bird back round. Relishing the rare opportunity to fly Thunderbird Two despite the seriousness of the situation. 

The landing isn’t as smooth as Virgil always makes it look, but he gets them back on dry land and into the hangar, where his brother’s father and grandma are all waiting for them. 

“What is going on?” Jeff asks, rushing into the cockpit. 

“I don’t know. He has been snappy and irritable all day and at one point said he was going to throw me out of the plane if I didn’t shut up, which he has never done before. Usually he tolerates me pretty well! Then he just went really white and said he didn’t feel well and slumped over the controls. Dad it was terrifying” Gordon confesses to his own fears. 

“It’s okay, you got him home safe. I am proud of you Gordon” Jeff replies gently squeezing his shoulder, smiling as his fourth son folds himself into his arms and hugs him so tightly, afraid that he will disappear if he let’s go.

Scott doesn’t bother with a stretcher, and instead carries Virgil up into the infirmary before gently lying him on the bed. While Grandma starts a thorough med scan and Gordon stands watching, silently, still in his father’s embrace. 

*TB*

“You gave us quite the scare Virg” Grandma tells him, a few days later once the antibiotics have kicked in enough to bring him back to semi consciousness. 

“Ugh” Virgil replies. “Where am I?”

“In the infirmary, you collapsed while flying home from that mission with Gordon” Grandma reminds him.

“What’s wrong with me? I am so tired, and everything hurts. Grandma even my toenails are excruciatingly painful” Virgil tells her. 

“Chest infection. And when you are feeling better I am calling a meeting with all of your brothers regarding sickness in this business” Grandma tells him sternly. 

“I can’t help being ill” Virgil tells her worriedly, convinced that she is angry he got sick.

“I know you can’t, you can however stop hiding it. You should have told me you were feeling unwell. Hiding anything from your Grandma is a terrible idea! I would rather you lie on the sofa like John and Alan do and let me take care of you before you end up in here. Or do a Gordon, tell someone you aren’t feeling well and get some real rest. And before you protest, this has nothing to do with wanting to keep you fit and healthy so you can save the world. This is about keeping you fit and healthy because I love you and I want to keep you safe” Grandma tells him.

“I promise” Virgil tells her. “Where is Gordon, I think I owe him an apology.” 

“Out on a mission. In thunderbird two… You might want to save the apology until you get your bird back in one piece!” Grandma tells him smiling. “Now get some sleep Virg” 

Her words are an order, and one Virgil is eager to follow.

“Night Grandma” he replies, rolling over on to his side and starting to snore.


	22. Do these Tacos taste funny to you?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alan + poisoned
> 
> Alan decides he needs Mexican food, only he hadn't counted on them poisoning him. 
> 
> Warning: eating disorder discussed between two brothers, one who has recovered from anorexia. (No I am not saying who, as that would spoil it)

Alan is hungry. Having just started his college course the last few days have been filled with online seminars and orientation, in between frantic rescue missions involving one crashed cargo ship on the surface of the moon and another where he was given the task of helping Gordon and Virgil put out a forest fire in California. the last week have left him little time for sleep or for food and he hasn’t killed a single zombie in days. 

The essay he has written, even he knows is a terrible effort but he is too tired to think much beyond where his next meal is coming from. It is a little after three in the morning and there is not a single soul awake. Not even in Gordons room, where Lady Penelope has taken up residence, is there a sound and they have been loud for hours! 

That restless feeling in him is growing stronger, and he needs to get out for a while. To take a break and do something that is just for him. 

What he really wants is Mexican food, but there is hardly anything in the kitchen as a big supply run is due, and he really doesn’t want to be the one picked, he is just too tired. 

“What would Gordon do?” Alan thinks, his head in his hands. Before a metaphorical lightbulb appears above him. 

Alan is going to Mexico. 

He wants Mexican food, and Mexican food is exactly what he is going to get. He is a high school graduate with a licence to fly a rocket, he has done so much more with his life in his eighteen years than most people managed in fifty. 

Making a mental note to bring up adding a guard rail on the launch plate for Thunderbird One, Alan gets himself settled in the pilot’s seat and on the way to Mexico. With the craft at full speed he can be there and back before Scott even knows he has left! 

Scarfing down three tacos covered in everything that they offer. Lettuce, tomato, onions, cheese, guacamole, sour cream and topped off with hot sauce. By the time he has gotten to Taco number three he is already so full he feels sick but this was so worth it! 

The short flight home goes just as smoothly, and he gets Scott’s bird back into the hangar undetected, and happy with his level of deception sneaks back up into the lounge.

He is almost to the stairs when Scott speaks. “I didn’t hear the klaxon go off; what emergency was taking place in Mexico?” 

“SHIT!” Alan thinks. Turning round to face his eldest brother. 

“Well?” Scott asks. Sitting behind the desk that is usually occupied by their father. His arms folded, his eyebrows knitted together, with thinly disguised rage. 

“I… I…I…” Alan replies stuttering. Suddenly this was not a good idea! “rip the bandaid off Allie” he tells himself silently. 

“I was hungry” 

Scott explodes. Jumping up to his feet and angrily advancing towards his brother, who backs away until he hits the wall, unable to move any further. With nowhere to run.

“YOU STOLE MY THUNDERBIRD AND TOOK A JOY RIDE TO MEXICO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT – BECAUSE YOU WERE HUNGRY?!” Scott shouts. 

“Not so loud, you will wake the others” Alan replies. 

“ROOM. NOW.” Scott shouts, needing to put some space between him and his youngest brother before he does something he will regret.

Alan flees from him and into his room, cursing his dreadful luck. Gordon has “borrowed” Thunderbird one numerous times and only once got caught and that ended up going in his favour even though he got sprayed by a polecat! 

Lying down on his favoured sleeping spot, on the rug on the floor Alan stretches exhaustedly before curling up in agony as a wave of pain shoots across his abdomen. He barely makes to the toilet in his bathroom before the contents of his stomach violently evacuate his body. Kneeling down on the floor next to the toilet bowl, he waits for the pain to subside. 

Only it won’t stop, again he wretches and gags in agony, his head leaning on the back of the seat, almost in tears from the pain. 

It is almost too late for him to react as the next wave decides to hit him in the other end. Holding his stomach, bent double over the seat, he can’t stop being sick. Remembering to thank his dad for putting the bathtub next to the toilet so he can be sick into it and not all over the floor. 

He is still in the bathroom as the sun starts to rise over the island. His legs feel like led as he weakly crawls his way back into the bedroom. The room is spinning as he makes his way back to the rug and curls up into a ball and cries until he finally falls asleep.

*TB*

“He borrowed Thunderbird one to get takeaway?” Gordon asks amused over breakfast. 

“It isn’t funny Gordo” Scott growls back. 

“Where is he anyway?” Virgil asks.

“Too afraid to put an appearance in, I will have him scrubbing the toilets for a month” Scott replies. 

“Harsh bro, are you telling me that you have never taken a joy ride before?” Gordon asks. 

“No I have not. I am a responsible adult!” Scott replies. “And give me much more of your cheek and you are joining him!” 

“Do I need to mention the off-roading in dad’s jeep when you were in the tenth grade?” Virgil asks. 

Scott didn’t think anyone knew about that! “How did you find out?” 

“Dana told me, she also told me what you got up to in the lake” Virgil tells him smirking. 

Scott glares at his younger brother. “That is not the point.” 

“I think it is a perfectly valid point. If you had thunderbird one at his age you would happily of taken girls out in it!” Gordon tells him. “I am going to go and tease Allie” 

“You mean check on him?” Virgil asks laughing. 

“I know what I meant Virg” Gordon replies, getting up from the table. Leaving the stale bagel untouched on his plate. “Who is doing the next supply run? Is it any wonder that Alan went to Mexico? There is no food in this house” 

“You and Alan this afternoon.” Scott replies. 

“Ugh, why do I have to go?” Gordon whines. 

“Because I am the eldest and I said so” Scott tells him.

“Dictator” Gordon says in disgust.

“Just go!” Scott says. 

“Give me an exasperated face palm first” Gordon asks grabbing his phone and snapping a photo when Scott obliges. “Thanks this will look great in my next blog post” 

“You have a blog?” Scott asks curiously.

“Yeah, it is entitled one hundred and one ways to annoy Scott” Gordon tells him grinning. 

“Are you joking?” Scott asks. 

“No he isn’t. I have read it, it’s surprisingly good Scott” Virgil tells him with a grin. 

Scott doesn’t bother to reply. But not for the first time, he wishes he were an only child. His life would be so much simpler if he didn’t have four annoying siblings making his life difficult every day. “I will go and load the dishwasher” Scott says getting up and clearing away the plates from breakfast.

He has just thrown Gordon’s breakfast away when he hears the scream.

The plate he is holding falls to the floor and smashes at his feet as for a split second he is frozen to the spot. Before coming to his senses and racing to the stairs, followed by Virgil. Taking the steps two at a time and into Alans room without a clue with what he would find. 

Gordon is on the floor at Alan’s side, taking his pulse. His teeth are chewing his lip, something Gordon only does when he knows that a situation is serious. 

“What happened?” Scott asks as he and Virgil sink down onto the rug next to Alan’s head. His skin is cold and pale and his breathing laboured. His eyes are closed and he clearly has no idea that his brothers are with him.

“Infirmary” Virgil says, sliding his arms under Alans legs and lifting him up into his arms. Gordon follows them from the room, while Scott looks for clues. Starting with the bathroom. The room is a mess, with the evidence of Alan’s Mexican jaunt in the tub. 

“Yeah Max can deal with that” Scott says aloud to the empty room, before opening the window and closing the door.

The infirmary is now home to Alan lying on the bed with Virgil and Grandma standing over him while Gordon, Jeff and Brains watch on in concern. 

“He has been sick” Scott announces. “Brains, can you ask Max to sort it out for me, I don’t think I could” 

“S-s-sure Scott, leave it with m-m-me” Brains replies. 

Alan doesn’t wake up, even when Virgil takes a vial of blood from his arm and inserts a cannister so he can pop an IV-line in. 

“Is he okay?” Gordon asks. 

“I don’t know” Virgil replies honestly. “But there is nothing else I can do for now. Brains, can you test this for me? Run all the usual poisoning and virus tests to try and rule out the nasty ones” 

Brains takes the blood down to the lab without a word, just a nod to acknowledge the request.

While Alan’s brothers start a bedside vigil, which becomes five when John joins them leaving Eos in charge of running Thunderbird Five. 

*TB*

Severe food poisoning from his Taco run is Brains’ conclusion, and it is several days before he is coherent enough to realise where he is. His brothers all taking it in turns to keep him company, feeding him ice chips to keep him hydrated. 

The morning of the fourth day Alan finally speaks. His head resting on the soft pillow, which Virgil has insisted be replaced daily with the rest of the bedding. 

“Vird?” Alan asks weakly. 

“Vird?” Virgil snorts. “Welcome back to the land of the living” 

“Livig? Ow” Alan tries to sit up, but his chest hurts so much he wants to die. 

“Lie back down” Virgil orders. 

Alan does has he is told, to weak and exhausted to argue. 

What happ-ed?” Alan asks. 

“You stole my thunderbird and went to Mexico for Tacos. They poisoned you. Karma!” Scott tells him with a grin.

“Karda?” Alan asks.

“Yep, you steal my bird and you get bitten!” Scott tells him. But he is smiling, now that his youngest brother is conscious and more of less coherent he can smile again. 

“I soddy!” Alan says before he starts to snore. 

“Yeah Scotty, he is soddy!” Gordon says. 

“He is still doing the next three supply runs as punishment” Scott says. 

“You just want an excuse to not go yourself” Gordon replies laughing. 

“It is called pulling rank as your big brother. this job needs to have some perks, because raising you little beasts was not fun” Scott says. But he is laughing.

“Can I use that on my next blog post?” Gordon asks. 

Virgil is laughing at the exchange. He knows that Scott wouldn’t swap this life for the world, even if he names his grey hairs Alan and Gordon!

*TB*

The food poisoning wipes Alan out for two weeks, and he doesn’t even fight being kept in the infirmary, and apart from one tiny protest he allows Scott to take over his astronaut duties. 

“How do you do it?” Alan asks Gordon, who has popped in for a visit. 

“Do what?” Gordon asks.

“Everything, Gords I want to quit” Alan admits. 

“Quit?” Gordon asks in shock. “Why?” 

“I can’t do this and college. I am such a failure” Alan says, tears filling his eyes.

“How did you figure that out?” Gordon is confused and feeling guilty as he had no idea that Alan was struggling so much.

“I am already behind on the work, every time I think I have it sorted, I get sent on a rescue. I tried talking to Scott and to dad but they said I just need to get used to it, but I can’t my last essay looks like it was written by Sherbet it is that bad. There is no way I can pass and be a member of international rescue” there he has said it, and now the tears are flowing freely.

“Do you want me to talk to dad for you? I had to fit in my school work around training for the Olympics and my international rescue training, and I know how hard it is.” Gordon tells him. He understands, he was in a similar position himself and was ecstatic when he finally got his college degree, even if it was in a subject he adores the work was hard to balance with everything else he was doing. 

“No. He would never understand. Gordon, I told you because I knew you would understand, but please don’t say anything” Alan begs. 

Gordon can’t make that promise. Alan is the only little brother he has, and he promised himself that he would always be there to look after him, if Alan needs him, he will be there. 

“Gordon” Alan pleads.

Gordon lets out a sigh and tells him something he had hoped he would never have to reveal. “Scott understood when it happened to me” 

“He did? When did you steal his thunderbird and fly it to Mexico because you needed a time out from all your responsibilities?” Alan asks.

“That is why you did this?” Gordon asks amused.

“Yeah” Alan admits sadly.

“I got overwhelmed Al. It was all too much for me. I was getting up at four in the morning and doing two hours in the pool. My breakfast was a mug if black coffee, then I would open my laptop and try to complete an assignment before lunch, which I skipped more often than I ate, before crashing out in my room from exhaustion for an hour or two before my afternoon session in the pool and dinner. I had no control over my life, so I stopped eating.” Gordon doesn’t like bringing this up, but he knows that it is time Alan knew everything. 

Alan hasn’t taken his eyes from Gordon, as he carries on with his tale. 

“I felt like it was the only thing I had any control over. I couldn’t complete the laps I wanted before I would be dragged out for a rescue, and I would punish myself for it. Not enough laps meant no dinner. I got really good at hiding Al, but if I were forced to eat and couldn’t find an excuse to get out of it then it would all end up in the toilet.” 

“What happened?” Alan asks, he isn’t even sure he wants to know.

“I got out the pool one day, after an emergency call and collapsed in the lounge. Woke up in here. Scott was with me. At first, I tried to laugh it off, to tell him I was just tired but he didn’t believe me. He said I weighed less than seven stone. I knew that. At my most ill I was weighing myself four times a day.”

“Where was I when all this happened?” Alan asks. 

“Space camp when I collapsed” Gordon replies. 

“I never knew” Alan says, feeling guilty.

“I know, I was good at hiding it from everyone, including myself. I had a gold medal, and I wanted more. I wanted everything.” Gordon says. 

“And Scott? You said he understood” Alan reminds him.

“He did, he reminded me that I didn’t have to do everything. It wasn’t easy, but once I admitted to myself that I needed help I found it right here, with you guys. We all understand Al, and if you need me to stay with you while you talk to him I will” Gordon says. 

Alan nods, knowing that there is no way he can carry on like this. “Yes please” he replies in a small voice.


	23. What's a Whumpee got to do to get some sleep around here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy + sleep deprivation
> 
> A teething Virgil and a husband away on a business trip is not a good combination.

Lucy Tracy loves being a mother. More than anything in the world, but there are times when she wishes she were still single, and free of all obligations and responsibilities. 

This is one of those times. 

Virgil is teething and has cried nonstop for two days; he has to be held constantly or he won’t sleep. As soon as he does sleep, if she tries to put him in his crib, he is awake and screaming in minutes. 

Jeff is on a business trip; one he has been putting off for weeks until she insisted he goes. That she can handle the children on her own. 

But pacing up and down the hallway at three in the morning while Virgil cries Lucy knows that she is in way over her head. 

Scott has done nothing but play up all day, culminating in him being put to bed hours earlier than normal after she caught him “tattooing” the baby with his sticker collection. 

Lucy knows that Scott needs more attention than she can give him, and there is a feeling of guilt and dread in the pit of her stomach as she continues to wear a pattern of feet into the carpet. 

Slowly the minutes drag on, while she paces and Virgil cries, his beautiful amber eyes which usually sparkle with the happiness of the contended baby she is used to are red from crying, and he looks as exhausted as she feels. 

But his cries are quietening now, and his eyelids are slowly drooping across his eyes, framed by his long dark lashes. He looks so much like his father. Apart from his eyes, they are hers. Her Virgy is a perfect mix of herself and Jeff and she loves him with all her heart, but right now she would give him to the highest bidder if it just meant she could get some sleep.

Finally his breathing slows to a steady, comfortable beat against her shoulder but she knows she can’t stop moving or he will be awake again, but she is so exhausted that she has to try. Carrying him up the stairs she gently lies him in the crib, covering him with his favourite blanket. A dark green blanket, which was knitted by his Grandma. The blanket has “Virgil” knitted into it in a lighter green. 

Holding her breathe while he lets out a deeper breath, but to her relief he doesn’t wake up and continues to sleep contentedly in the crib. 

Lucy makes sure that she doesn’t make a single sound as she backs away from the crib and sinks down onto the bed, leaning back, her head on the pillow, her eyes are itching with tiredness, and her muscles are screaming at her. 

But with Virgil asleep, finally, she can feel herself joining him, her mind drifting into a world of a sun filled holiday with cocktails and a vast sandy white beach while Jeff stays at home and looks after Scott and Virgil. 

“Momma?” a small voice calls from the doorway. 

Please no! Lucy thinks desperately. Just let me get some sleep!

“Come here Scotty” Lucy replies. 

Scott wanders into the room. His teddy bear dangling from one hand and his own blanket from Grandma in the other. He has shed his pyjamas and is wearing nothing but his diaper which is dropping around his waist. His thumb is in his mouth and he has clearly not been awake long. 

“What’s wrong Scotty?” she asks, lifting him up onto the bed. 

“Can’t sleep” he replies through the thumb, so it sounds more like “cand schleep” 

“You need changing” Lucy tells him, setting him back on the floor and taking him into the bathroom that adjoins the bedroom to get him changed so he will be more comfortable. 

“Now, how about you get into bed with me, and we will get a few more hours sleep” Lucy says to Scott once she has him sorted. 

“Mmm” Scott replies, his thumb still in his mouth. 

With him tucked under her arm, snuggling into her side Lucy feels like the luckiest person in the world. 

She doesn’t need sleep. 

She needs her boys.


	24. You're not making any sense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alan + Forced mutism
> 
> ages:  
> Alan 5  
> Gordon 9
> 
> Gordon convinces Alan that he is cursed and can't speak or terrible things will happen to him.

Alan is loud, Alan is vibrant, Alan is colourful. But right now, Alan is completely silent. 

He knows that if he talks, he will be cursed as per the rules. Gordon never lies. 

“Alan, Gordon, lunch!” Grandma calls from the kitchen. 

They are the only three home, Jeff has taken his elder brothers shopping for supplies for the Island. He wishes he had been asked to go, then he wouldn’t be in this mess. 

“ALAN!” Grandma calls again, and he knows that she will not call a third time, so he drags himself off the bed and leaves the safety of his room. 

“Ah there you are. Come on lunch is ready” Grandma says pointing to his plate on the table, which is home to a cheese and tomato sandwich, which is Alan’s favourite combination. He climbs up onto his chair and takes one of the small squares from his plate. Slowly nibbling the crust off. 

Gordon is sitting opposite him, three quarters of his lunch has already been eaten. “Hey Grandma, what’s for dessert?” Gordon asks. 

“Depends on what your dad and brothers bring home. You ate the last of your celery crunch bars for breakfast” Grandma tells him. “There is nothing in the pantry, go and check if you don’t believe me” 

“Of course I believe you” Gordon replies. “Can I go back in the pool now then?” 

“What are the rules?” Grandma asks.

“I have to wait half an hour after eating” Gordon replies sadly. 

“Well, can you go back in the pool yet?” Grandma says a look of amusement on her face. 

“No” Gordon replies. 

“Exactly, you can however load the dishwasher and I believe that you have time to clean your room” Grandma says.

Gordon groans dramatically. “My room is not that bad”

“Gordon there is a mould growing on the windowsill” Grandma says. 

“It is a science experiment. John said I could grow medicine” Gordon replies. 

“Okay. Clean your room or no pool” Grandma says seriously. 

“Ugh! My life is so unfair” Gordon replies before storming from the kitchen and leaving the dishes on the table. 

“Gordon dishwasher!” Grandma reminds him. 

“Make him do it” Gordon calls back before slamming his door shut. “Stupid little runt gets away with murder” he mutters under his breath. 

“Allie?” Grandma says hopefully. 

Wordlessly Alan gets down from his seat and starts to clear the table. 

“Are you okay Al? You have been quiet today” Grandma asks, placing her hand on his forehead to check for a temperature.

Alan nods before running from the kitchen. Gordon is already in a mood and he doesn’t want to know what will happen to him if he speaks before Gordon lifts the curse. 

Grandma knows him well enough to be suspicious and follows him up to Gordon’s room where he has left the door slightly open. 

Gordon is lying on the bed, a book open in front of him while Alan is picking up the clothes he has left lying on the floor. 

Pushing the door open, Grandma stands in the doorway, her hands on her hips. “Gordon, I thought I told you to clean the room” 

“You did, but I didn’t want to. And besides my brother likes doing me favours” Gordon replies with a shrug. 

“Alan?” Grandma asks.

Alan doesn’t speak, and he doesn’t look up from the pile of clothes he is picking up and placing in the hamper in the bathroom. 

“See” Gordon says. 

Grandma isn’t happy with this arrangement, but unless Alan speaks up there is not a lot she can do. “Okay, but you are not going back in the pool this afternoon, you were told to clean this room yourself” 

“That’s not fair!” Gordon protests. 

“Clean your own room then” Grandma replies. 

“This is all your fault” Gordon hisses at Alan once grandma has left them alone. 

Alan shakes his head. He has done everything Gordon has told him too, but he is still under his brother’s curse. 

“Yes, it is, and now you must be punished” Gordon’s smile is evil as he leads Alan out to the lounge. “Into the cupboard” Gordon says, opening up the cupboard underneath the stairs before he closes it and slides the lock across the door. “Have fun in jail!” Gordon says to the locked door. 

Alan, alone and afraid starts to cry. 

*TB*

Gordon abandons his attempt at cleaning his room, and instead sneaks out the house and down to the beach. He is still there when the roar from his dad’s plane. Watching happily as it comes into land, he has forgotten all about Alan. 

Covered in sand, he runs back up the beach and into the house waiting for his dad and brothers to come up the launch chute.

“Daddy!” he cries happily, as he throws himself into his arms for a hug. 

“Gordy, let me put these bags down” Jeff replies. 

“Did you bring me a celery crunch bars?” Gordon asks. Starting to rummage through the bags. 

“Careful, or we will think you only came to greet us for the food!” Scott tells him ruffling Gordons hair. 

“Where is Alan?” John asks, realising that the other tornado has not embraced them with his presence.

Gordon goes pale. “Damn, Allie!” he thinks, he meant to let him out hours ago. “Erm…” Gordon replies. 

“Gordon?” Jeff asks sternly, he knows that look all too well.

“You mean he didn’t go down to the beach with you?” Grandma asks. She just assumed the boys were together. 

“No” Gordon replies. 

“Do you know where he is?” Jeff asks. 

Gordon nods. He knows come clean now or it will be worse. 

“Well?!” Scott asks. 

Silently, Gordon walks to the cupboard and slides the lock open. 

Alan comes tumbling from the cupboard, his tears are slowly and silently streaming down his cheeks. 

“Allie are you okay?” Jeff asks, scooping him up into his arms. 

Alan shakes his head but doesn’t say a word. Gordon has left him in a cupboard for hours and he doesn’t want to know what he will do if he speaks.

“Alan, you aren’t making any sense” Jeff says concerned. “Does anything hurt?” 

Again Alan shakes his head. 

“Allie, please. What’s wrong?” Jeff begs. 

Alan just buries his head on his father’s shoulder and sobs as quietly as he knows how. But he can’t speak. He isn’t allowed to speak. 

“Dad? What’s wrong with him?” Scott asks fearfully. 

“I don’t know. Alan come on. Please tell me what is wrong” Jeff pleads again. 

Alan, still crying, points to Gordon.

“Gordon?” Jeff asks. “What did you do?”

“I don’t know” Gordon replies with a shrug. 

“GORDON” Jeff is starting to lose his temper. 

Gordon jumps. “Okay fine. I put this awesome curse I found on him and now he can’t speak until I say his name. but he got me into trouble so I put him in jail. I was only going to put him in there for a few minutes but I forgot about him.” 

Jeff glares at him in fury. “You tricked a five-year-old child into thinking he was cursed and locked him in a cupboard when you know he is both claustrophobic and scared of the dark?! Say his name now.” 

Gordon senses that do not mess with me look on his father’s face. “Okay fine. Alan, I lift the curse” 

“Good, now say you are sorry” Jeff demands. 

“What if I am not?” Gordon asks. 

But a further glare from not only his father but his elder brothers too makes him cower. “Okay. I am sorry” Gordon says. 

“Now go straight to your room. You will remain there until I have decided on your punishment, and I am thinking boarding school.” Jeff tells him.

*TB*

Gordon remains in his room all night. He is starving and bored, throwing a small rubber ball up into the air and catching it one handed while he waits for his sentence to be pronounced. It was only a bit of fun; Alan needs to lighten up.

Finally his father enters the room. But he isn’t carrying any breakfast, and Gordon hasn’t eaten since yesterday afternoon having missed supper. 

“Sit up” Jeff says, not bothering with any pleasantries. 

Gordon obliges, leaning back against the headboard. 

“I have discussed this with your grandmother and we both agree that what you did to Alan was cruel and out of order. You are grounded for a month, you don’t leave the house, you don’t use the pool, you don’t go down to the hangars. You are banned from every room that isn’t your own, the kitchen or the lounge. You will speak only when you are spoken you, and you will remain in the sight of your grandmother or myself at all times. Bedtime will be eight o’clock without exceptions and the trip to the mainland for your birthday is cancelled, in fact your birthday is cancelled. No presents.” 

“Am I still allowed to breathe?” Gordon asks.

“WHAT DID I SAY?!” Jeff roars.

“Which bit?” Gordon replies rudely. 

Jeff knows he has to get out before he does something he will regret. Gordon has not shown a single ounce of remorse. 

“From now on you don’t speak until you are spoken to, and you are remaining in this room for the rest of the day” Jeff repeats before leaving and locking the door behind him. 

TBC


	25. I think I will just collapse right here thanks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon + disorientation
> 
> grounded and in pain, Gordon takes drastic action to get rid of the pain. 
> 
> TW: for accidental drug overdose

Gordon has been grounded for two weeks, and he misses being outdoors so much that it is causing his stomach to ache with longing. He has taken to sitting on the windowsill in his room with the window wide open as he tries to tempt in a non-existent breeze. His father has kept the restrictions in place, and he is miserable without the pool, and his brothers were barely speaking to him, even Virgil was ignoring him. 

His father has even cancelled a business trip to stay home and ensure Gordon sticks to the rules. Threatening him with further restrictions if he dares to break the no talking rule, and has since added a television ban. 

It is the day before his cancelled birthday celebrations, and he is once again sitting on the windowsill, wondering if it is possible to reach the ground from here and go for a walk along the beach without getting caught. 

“Gordon, come and get some lunch.” Grandma calls from the doorway. 

He isn’t hungry, but the last week has taught him not to mention anything about his own feelings. So instead of climbing out a second-floor window, Gordon follows his grandmother from the room. 

His brothers are already seated at the kitchen table, working their way through the large pizzas that have just come out the oven. Gordon slinks quietly into the room and takes his usual seat. Scott and John are engaged in an intense discussion about some project of Scott’s that John is helping with, but Gordon doesn’t care about that as he pretends to eat the slice of pizza he is handed. Picking off the toppings and hiding them in his t-shirt. 

Alan is sitting on the floor near Virgil, leaning up against his legs, giggling as Virgil drops slices of pepperoni on his nose before he tries to get them into his mouth without touching it with his fingers. 

“Virgil. Stop that” Grandma scolds. “If you can’t eat like civilised humans you are on washing up duty” 

“I thought he was as part of his punishment” Virgil reminds Grandma, pointing over at Gordon and acknowledging his presence for the first time in two days. 

Gordon rolls his eyes back at Virgil but doesn’t say a word. 

Leaving the pizza slice shredded on the plate he gets up and walks out the kitchen. He has not spoken all day as he walks back to the safety and comfort of his room. And his ever-worsening stomach-ache. 

“Gordon, dishes” Grandma tells his retreating back. 

“Later” he calls back, intending to go back to bed once he is back in his room.

“GORDON NOW!” Jeff shouts angrily. 

Ignoring a sharp shooting pain that keeps shooting through his body, Gordon goes back to the kitchen and starts to load the dish washer. Before he is finally free to escape the obligations of a family who don’t appear to even care anymore. 

That urge to jump out of his window is back. Will they even miss him? His birthday is tomorrow and is spending it in his room, completely alone and unloved. This is going to be the worst birthday ever, so what is the point in him staying?  
Burying himself under the blanket, Gordon tries to get the pain to stop, but it won’t. this time it wont leave him alone. 

He knows that there are pain killers in the infirmary. Sneaking around the house is easy, he has been doing it for the last four months. 

His luck is in, as everyone is outside enjoying the early afternoon sun, and the infirmary is empty and the pills he is looking for are full. Knowing that he doesn’t have much time, Gordon takes the pain killers back to his room. 

If he just takes one, it will take the edge off the pain, two and it might allow him to get some sleep, three and it might help him sleep through dinner, four and he might get away with sleeping through the night. He doesn’t even know what painkillers he is taking, but he loses count quickly, but half the bottle is gone now. 

But it isn’t working, the pain is worse now and not better. Nauseous and dizzy, Gordon stumbles into his bedroom, and the room doesn’t stop spinning, staggering across the floor trying to get to his bed. Placing his hands on the bed to try and steady himself but his eyes aren’t working and the poster beside is bed is no longer a seal on a rock, the animal is blurred into the rock, images are swimming in front of him and the only thing he can do is close his eyes and lower his head down on to the mattress but his body he slumps sideways and his head strikes the corner of his bedside table. 

Then everything goes black.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will they reach Gordon in time?! Or are they going to lose their sunshine forever?


	26. If you thought the head trauma was bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon + concussion 
> 
> following a prank which backfired, Gordon got grounded. But now he needs his family desperately, but are they going to get to him in time?

“Hey dad?” Virgil asks from his spot in the pool where he is throwing an inflatable ball at Scott for him to catch. 

“Yes Virg?” Jeff asks. He is lying on one of the sun loungers watching the four boys play. 

“Are you really going to cancel the Squids birthday? He has been grounded for two weeks now, surely that’s enough?” Virgil asks. He was angry with him at first, they all were. Alan had nightmares for three days but he is okay now, back to the happy energetic whirlwind they all know and adore. 

“What does everyone else think?” Jeff asks. 

“I think he should wait it out. A month is a month dad” John replies, rolling his eyes at Virgil. Virgil has always been far too soft for his own good. 

“I miss him daddy” Alan says. “It is boring here without Gordy” 

“Yeah, me too dad. He has definitely suffered enough” Scott adds his opinion. “We can take him over to the mainland and get him a cake. Come on dad, he doesn’t deserve to lose his birthday.” 

“Grandma?” Jeff asks. 

“It has been two weeks Jeff. The kid has learned his lesson, and he’s been miserable recently” Grandma says. 

“Okay fine. His birthday is back on” Jeff announces.

“Can I go and tell him daddy?” Alan asks delightedly. 

“No, we will tell him at dinner, he can do a few more hours of solitary” Jeff says. 

“Please dad, we miss him” Virgil begs, placing his hands on the side of the pool and pulling himself up onto the side. 

“Yeah please daddy” Alan adds. “Or else” he threatens. 

“Or else?!” Jeff repeats amused.

“Yeah, or else I will splash you!” Alan says seriously. 

Jeff knows he has lost this argument, amusement flashing across his face. “Okay. Virg you can go and get him” 

“I think you should go, you grounded him, you can unground him. If I go, he might not believe me” Virgil says. 

“Okay, I will go and get him” Jeff agrees smiling. He has missed Gordon as much as his brothers have. 

“Great, and we have his presents ready and waiting” Scott says. 

“You knew I would give in, didn’t you?” Jeff asks laughing now. All five of his boys have had him firmly wrapped around their fingers since the day they were born, and he doubts that will ever change. 

“Yeah” Scott confirms, deliberately splashing Jeff as he dives back under the water. 

“SCOTT!” Jeff shouts but he is still laughing. Chlorinated water dripping from his eyelashes, Jeff shakes his head to get the excess water out of his hair. 

“NOT SORRY DAD!” Scott shouts back.

Jeff rolls his eyes as he walks back through the house. 

Laughing at the keep out sign on Gordon’s door. Which was designed and painted by Virgil and is shaped like a shark. Virgil has designed one for each of his brothers. Scott’s is designed to look like a fighter jet, John’s is a map of the stars with the stars arranged into the words KEEP OUT, Alan’s is a rocket ship, and Virgil’s is a piano where the words are on the keys. 

Jeff knocks on the door before entering when he gets no answer. 

What he sees will haunt his nightmares for years. 

“GORDON?” Jeff shouts in shock, running across the room and throwing himself down on the floor next to Gordon’s head. There is a deep gash across forehead, with blood still seeping from the cut. “Gordy wake up” Jeff pleads, fear and desperation in his voice, as he checks him for other injuries. “Please wake up” 

Jeff checks him for a pulse, and is relieved to find that it is there, but it is weak. His breathing is shallow and laboured. 

Jeff picks him up, lying his head against his chest running out into the hallway, past the easel Virgil leaves and what the boys call the library and down the stairs into the lounge, yelling “HEEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPP” all the way, which brings everyone running. 

“What happened?” Grandma asks, joining him in the lounge and examining the wound on Gordon’s head. 

“I don’t know. I found him unconscious on the floor.” Jeff is trying to keep calm, but there is unquestionable fear in his voice, as he knows that this is beyond his medical skills. 

“Hospital” Grandma announces after a brief look at Gordon, leading the way down to the hangar where Tracy One is housed. Followed closely by Jeff, Scott, Virgil, John and Alan. all still in their swimsuits. 

“Go and grab some clothes boys and then meet us out on the runway we will get the plane ready for take-off” Grandma tells them, sending them back into the house. 

Grandma gets Gordon strapped to the bed they keep in the plane for emergencies, before she sits down on the bench, keeping his hand clasped in hers, and she never stops talking to him as Jeff taxis the plane down the runway to prepare for the take off. 

Now dressed in jeans and t-shirts the four boys join their grandma in the back of the plane. 

“Is he going to be okay Grandma?” Alan asks, concerned. 

She doesn’t know how to answer that, Gordon has shown no sign of regaining consciousness in the ten minutes since Jeff came running from his room begging for help. “I don’t know Allie” She replies finally, deciding that honesty might be the best policy. 

Alan starts to cry. Scott takes him into his arms, holding him against his shoulder. If he is honest with himself Scott would love to join him, and sob away his fears. Virgil and John join them, all huddled together on the bench as the plane shoots towards the mainland, before landing on the private runway built fifteen years previously once air travel started to replace cars. 

Jeff doesn’t bother with a stretcher, instead he carries Gordon into the emergency room where he is taken away for examination despite the fairly busy waiting area. Jeff tries to follow.

“You will have to stay here, while we examine your son Mr Tracy” a nameless nurse demands, not unkindly but with enough force in the words that he knows not to argue. 

The waiting room is crowded and noisy, but they find a space near the vending machine. Alan climbs up onto Jeff’s lap. There are a few stray tears escaping from his eyes. Jeff rests his chin on Alan’s forehead, and the group remains silent unable to think of a single thing to say. 

They sit in silence for hours waiting for news. The room never empties. As one person leaves there are more arriving. Eight hours pass, Alan has fallen asleep on the floor, his own jumper being used for a pillow while Scott’s is covering him as a blanket. There are several cold half-drunk cups of coffee, juice boxes, empty crisp packets and apple cores littering the small table in front of them. 

“Dad? How long are they going to leave us here?” Scott asks. “They must know something by now?”

“I don’t know Scott” Jeff replies. Every time he has gotten up for more coffee, he asks for an update but so far has not been told anything. 

The silence falls again, outside it is dark and cloudy with the threat of rain and the clouds have moved into the waiting room. 

“Mr Tracy?” a voice from the doorway calls. 

“Yes” Jeff replies, getting up. “I will go and find out; you guys stay here” Jeff says to the boys and Grandma.

“My name is Doctor Benson, come on into my office and we can talk” the doctor says.

“Please, just let me know what is happening” Jeff begs. “We have been here for hours” 

“Gordon is very unwell Mr Tracy” Doctor Benson. He has taken a number of oxycontin pills, which caused him to collapse and hit his head. He has a fractured skull and severe concussion as the result of hitting his head. And we have had to remove his appendix, which I estimate ruptured minutes before he was bought in. A few more minutes later, and he wouldn’t have made it” 

Jeff is shocked. A drug overdose? Just what has he done to Gordon to make him think that this was his only solution?

“Can I see him?” Jeff asks. 

“He is still unconscious and in a coma Mr Tracy but yes, you can see him.” Doctor Benson says. 

Gordon is being kept in a private room. There is a large white dressing across his forehead, and half of his hair has been shaved in order to complete the surgery to reduce the fracture and put a metal plate on the bone to help with the healing process. He has a blanket covering legs and torso, which his arms are resting on top of. A drip has been placed into his left arm, and there is an oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth. 

Jeff has no idea what to say, but he can’t shake the feeling that this is all his fault. How can he possibly have left Gordon in such a state that he thought he needed to do this to himself? 

“You have to leave now; Gordon needs to rest. You can come back in a few hours’ time” Doctor Benson who has followed Jeff into the room announces.

Jeff nods, and doesn’t fight the order. He knows he is fleeing from the room, and that he is glad of the excuse to not stay. 

In the waiting room, Alan is awake now having been woken by Scott once Jeff had left. 

“Dad?” Scott asks, getting up from his seat once he has spotted him. The question unasked, but it doesn’t need to be.

“Appendicitis. The doctor thinks he passed out and hit his head. He has a concussion and a fractured skull, and they are keeping him in” Jeff replies. He can’t tell the boys about the overdose, not until he has spoken to Gordon. 

“Can we see him?” Virgil asks. 

“No, the doctor wants him to rest” Jeff replies. “I have found a hotel nearby, and as it is now nearly one in the morning; I think we should try and get some sleep”

“But daddy, I’m not tired. I want to see Gordy” Alan insists. 

His brothers all agree with Alan they want to see Gordon too.

“Sorry boys, but the Doctor told me to come back In a few hours” Jeff replies, in that tone which reminds his boys that his word in law and there are no further protests. “Come on Allie you need to get to bed” 

They walk out into the chilled night air and Jeff hails a cab which takes them to an all-night supermarket where Jeff buys pyjamas, clean clothes, emergency toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. 

“Hey daddy, can we get this for Gordon?” Alan asks pointing out a box of celery crunch bars, which Jeff happily puts into the trolley, determined to keep positive. 

“And this?” Scott adds, handing over a plush shark. Again Jeff doesn’t hesitate to add it to the trolley. Virgil chooses him a plastic snake to join his practical joke set, while John picks him out a book. “Can we wrap them dad? It is his birthday today.” Scott asks, looking at his watch and realising it is gone midnight. 

“Sure” Jeff replies, wanting to keep the boys distracted. Grandma and Jeff add their own gifts to the trolley and wrapping paper and tape. 

The shopping takes nearly an hour, and by the time they get to the hotel, it is nearly three in the morning. Jeff manages to book three rooms. One for Grandma. One for himself and one for Virgil, Scott, John and Alan. The hotel is fairly basic, and not the five-star affair he usually stays in but it is clean and comfortable, and that is all he is asking for right now. 

“Jeff, what aren’t you telling me?” Grandma asks, once the boys have been settled in their room and they are in Jeff’s room drinking one final coffee. 

Jeff sucks in a deep breath. His head sunk into his hands with despair. 

“Jeff?” Grandma asks, placing her hand on his shoulder. 

“He overdosed on painkillers” Jeff tells her. 

“What? How?” Grandma asks in shock.

“I don’t know” Jeff replies. His voice is shaking, and he realises that it is not just his voice. His whole body is shuddering as he struggles to cope with what the doctor told him. “But I don’t want the boys to know yet” 

That grandma agrees with, they don’t need to know that their brother may have tried to kill himself.

“Try and get some sleep Jeff, Gordon is going to need you to be strong” Grandma says before she leaves for her own room. 

*TB*

The only thing Gordon feels when he regains consciousness is pain. Pain everywhere. Everything hurts. He lets out an involuntary whine as he struggles to remove the thing that is over his nose. 

“No sweetie, leave that there” 

The voice is familiar, and he thinks it is a trustworthy voice. But they don’t understand this thing is uncomfortable and hurting his face. 

“No Gordon” The voice repeats, this time gently pulling his hands away and holding them in place.

Gordon tries to wriggle free, but the effort is exhausting. 

“Lie still, Gords” the voice instructs. 

And finally he knows who it is.

“G-G-Grandma” he mutters, trying to force his eyes to focus on her, but they don’t cooperate, all they want to do is sleep.

“Yes Gordon. We are here, and don’t worry we are not going anywhere” Grandma reassures him.

It has been three awfully long, and very stress filled days and they have taken it in turns to sit beside his bed, and this is the first time he has been alert enough to speak. “Okay” Gordon tells her before he is once again sound asleep.

Every day the pile of gifts in the room get bigger as his brothers add to the collection, and by day seven Gordon is finally alert enough to have a proper conversation. 

One Jeff does not want to have, but he knows that he needs to know. 

“Why did you take them Gords?” Jeff asks.

“I just wanted the pain to stop, and you weren’t listening to me” Gordon replies. “It hurt and I couldn’t sleep, I didn’t mean to dad but I couldn’t talk to you or anyone and I…” he trails off and starts to cry. 

“I’m sorry Gords, and I promise you I will never ever put you in this position again.” Jeff tells him. “Come here” 

Gordon slides over to the edge of the bed and allows his father to hug him. “I love you Gordy” Jeff says. 

“I love you too dad” Gordon replies. “When can I come home?” 

“In a few days, you just have to get a bit stronger first, and then you will have to remain in bed for another few weeks, but you will be waited on hand and foot! And there will be plenty of company” Jeff says with a smile.

And he is true to his word, and once Gordon is home permanently, he is rarely alone. Even though he spends most of his time asleep and upon waking is confused and disorientated which diminishes as the concussion starts to fade until eventually he starts to feel back to normal, and starts to beg his dad for his pool privileges back once all the stitches are out and he has been given the all clear by Grandma and the specialist dealing with his head injury. 

“Dad, come and join us!” Gordon calls a few minutes after he has dived into the heated water. 

“Yeah daddy! PLEASE!” Alan begs.

“We will splash you!” Scott threatens laughing. 

“Oh go on then” Jeff says finally, giving into the boy’s pleas. 

“CANNONBALL!” Gordon calls excitedly as Jeff dives in, splashing water everywhere. 

“WATER FIGHT” Alan cries, splashing Jeff, who laughs and splashes him back

“This is war Allie!” Jeff declares. “Scott issue the water pistols. Gordon Virgil you’re on my team. John, Scott and Alan you’re on team two” 

The two teams gather at opposite ends of the pool, talking tactics and gathering up weapons. Water pistols, and pool noodles and inflatable balls. 

The fight lasts all afternoon, until Grandma calls them all out for dinner, and they are forced to declare a truce. 

Dinner concludes with Gordon’s belated birthday cake, and one last round of presents before they take refuge in the lounge with his favourite movie. 

“Happy?” Jeff asks the little blonde tucked up under his arm.

“Yeah” Gordon replies. “I love you dad” 

“We all love you too” Jeff replies. 

“Yeah we all love you Gordy” his brothers and grandma reply while they pass around the popcorn and switch on finding nemo for the millionth time. Just grateful that Gordon is here with them to watch the film, and all vowing to never let anything like this happen again.


	27. Okay, who had natural disasters on the bingo card?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All five brothers + extreme weather. 
> 
> Johns birthday trip becomes a battle to survive against the elements when the boys are lost in a storm.

“Where is everyone?” John asks entering the lounge from the space elevator. It is his regularly scheduled down time, which he has been trying to get removed as he spends enough time on earth visiting his brothers when they need him! but to no avail. Grandma is insistent that he comes down for a week every eight weeks on a rotation. His brothers share this downtime with him. But today there is no one here. 

“Weird” John thinks, until he hears a splash from outside in the pool. “Ah, Gordon” 

Sliding the door open John finds Gordon, Virgil and Alan having a diving war. 

“Johnny!” Gordon greets him, “Come and join us!” 

“Hey John, I thought you weren’t coming down until midday?” Alan asks.

“It is one o’clock” John tells them laughing. 

“Really?” Gordon asks in surprise. “How long have we been out here?” 

“Four hours” Virgil tells him laughing. 

“Where is everyone else?” John asks.

“At the ranch organising your surprise birthday party” Alan replies. “We said we would wait here and then we can all go on Thunderbird Two” 

“ALAN?!” Virgil laughs. “Surprise party?” 

“Oops” Alan replies. “Promise that you will act surprised John!” 

John laughs happily. He loves these guys. “Of course. Now let’s get going” 

“Can I fly?” Gordon asks, his eyes lighting up in anticipation of a wind up.

“Let me think about that… No!” Virgil replies.

“Can we take the RAD?” Gordon asks. 

“YES! And drop Gordon in it from twenty thousand feet?” 

“NO!” Virgil replies, not giving into the urge for a facepalm as that is what the two horrors he calls his youngest brothers are after. “Go and get changed, and get down to Thunderbird two” 

“Please can we throw Gordon out in the RAD?” Alan begs once they are up in the air.

“Yeah please!” Gordon adds. 

“NO” John replies. “We bought it with us for emergencies, and you are not using it for a pleasure trip” 

“This is a pleasure trip though” Gordon insists. 

“NO” both John and Virgil snap.   
Gordon pouts in his seat, but quickly cheers up when the sight of the ranch when the suddenly appears on the horizon. “Can we go horseback riding?” he asks.

“Are you going to behave?” Virgil asks.

“I am eighteen Virg, not eight. I know how to behave!” Gordon insists. 

“No you don’t” John replies laughing. “Just last week you replaced Scott’s shampoo with hair removal cream!” 

Gordon laughs at the memory. Bald Scott chasing him all over the house threatening to disembowel him once he has caught him. but years of being chased has given Gordon plenty of experience in hiding. “Yeah” he replies with a grin. 

“I will do you a deal, you behave for the rest of the day and we will go riding tomorrow” Virgil tells him. Knowing that Gordon would go on his own if allowed, which he did once a few years ago before falling from his horse and breaking his leg. Which led to a rule that no one is allowed to go out on their own.

“A whole day?” Gordon asks in dismay.

“A whole day!” Virgil confirms. 

“Ugh” Gordon groans, “I hate being good”

“We know” John tells him. 

*TB*

Scott is putting up one final happy birthday John banner above the fireplace. this one was organised by Gordon, and it isn’t until it is up that Grandma points out to him that it says “Happy first Birthday Johnny” 

Scott sighs. It was too much to hope for that his brother would let them have one nice celebration. “That was supposed to be twenty-first” 

“No time to fix it now, they’re here” Grandma replies, watching thunderbird two come into land. 

“Gordon is so dead” Scott says, still angry that his brother never takes anything seriously.

“Don’t threaten your brother Scott”

“Why shouldn’t I threaten him? He doesn’t learn!” Scott says. 

“Because you love him, and you would feel terrible if anything happened to him” Grandma reminds him. 

“Yeah sure” Scott replies insincerely. 

They are saved from further arguing when John, Virgil, Gordon and John all barge in through the front door. 

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN!” Scott and Grandma shout. Joined by Kayo, Lady Penelope and Parker who are all singing happy birthday and holding presents. 

“Thanks guys” John replies. Taking the time to thank his friends and family while he opens his gifts. 

“Hey you put my banner up” Gordon says proudly. 

“First birthday?” John sputters. 

“It was a typo, I didn’t do it on purpose” Gordon insists smirking. 

“Yeah right!” Virgil replies. 

“Can we still go riding tomorrow?” Gordon asks. 

“Nope. You broke the rules regarding behaviour with that banner” Virgil replies. 

“But the banner was ordered a week ago, you can’t punish me for a prank I planned a week ago. That isn’t fair!” Gordon insists. 

“It is true” John backs him up, “this is my birthday week and we are going riding!” 

“You said it wasn’t deliberate” Scott reminded him. 

“And you believed me? Who is the idiot here Scott?” Gordon asks. 

“Oh go for a ride all of you while I cook dinner” Grandma interrupts. 

The stable at the back of the house is still home to the families horses and Old Joe is out there and helps them get the horses saddled up. 

Old Joe has never revealed his true age but he has been a part of the furniture at the ranch since before their mom was born. The photo of Gordon facing the wrong way on the horse – that was taken by Old Joe. 

“JOEY!” Alan cries happily. 

“Hey Allie” Old Joe greets him happily. “Horses are ready, just don’t get lost this time!” 

“We won’t, we aren’t letting Alan navigate” Gordon replies, climbing up into the saddle and patting his horses’ neck. 

They start to take a gentle stroll along one of the pathways they know so well. Happy for all five to be out in the sunshine. Even John is happy out here, with his family. Gordon and Scott are still bickering about the banner, but it is good natured now and just their brotherly banter which he does miss when he is holed up in space. 

“Where are we?” Virgil pipes up breaking up the argument. And pulling his horse to a standstill and looking around in interest and realising that no one has been paying attention to where they are going. 

“Can’t blame me this time” Alan replies, “you banned me from navigating” 

“I can’t see the house from here” Scott says, looking back over his shoulder but the land behind them is now shrouded in fog. Long gone are the bright sunny skies from earlier. 

“Guys I’m cold” Gordon complains. Gordon’s words make them all realise that there has been a drop in temperature. 

Then the first drop of rain splashes down on Alan’s head. 

Lightning flashes across the sky, and John’s horse rears in fright, causing him to fall, landing hard on his back, knocking the wind out of him as the horse bolts. 

All four boys jump down from their own horses, and run to John, who is lying on the floor still, having the air knocked out of his lungs. Struggling to get any air, he gasps for breath as he tries to sit up.

“No, stay still” Virgil says, placing his hand on Johns chest to keep him down. “Does anything hurt?” 

“I don’t think so” John replies once he has got his breathing under control. 

The rain is getting heavier. 

“We need to find shelter” Scott announces. “We can’t stay out in the open in this” 

Gordon has the horses relatively under control. His own is nudging him with his nose, gently reassuring him that he trusts him to get them all home safe. “We do, Scott’s right. John can you get up?” 

“I think so” John replies, wincing in pain as he sits up, before rolling over onto his knees and gingerly gets to his feet. “Okay. I’m up” taking a step, his ankle collapses underneath him and he falls back to his knees. 

“John!” Scott cries concerned. 

“My ankle. It hurts too much.” John says. 

The storm is getting worse the longer the stay out here. the rain is now so heavy they can barely hear each other talk over the sound of the drops pounding the barren red earth. 

“Where too?” Alan asks Scott once they have John comfortable on Scott’s back. 

“We keep moving. Eventually we will get either home or into the town nearby” Scott replies. 

They walk in what Scott think is a westerly direction for what feels like hours. But the storm isn’t relenting. All five boys are soaked to the bone, and even Gordon who is their water baby is not enjoying this. 

Distantly scattered trees are getting closer together, and Scott knows that they are at the edge of the forest. 

“Can we just stop and rest. My feet are killing me” Alan complains, before he sits down in the mud. Not caring about the state of his clothes. He can’t get any filthier than he is right now. Or colder.

“Come on Al, we need to keep going” Virgil says pulling him back onto his feet. 

“Why did we come out here without the comm units?” Alan asks.

“I have no idea” Scott tells him “but it is never going to happen again, let’s keep going” 

The ground is difficult to traverse now it is soft and squidgy from the relentless rain. 

“I have mud in my underwear” Alan complains. 

“I didn’t know you wore underwear” Gordon replies teasing him to try and re-establish some normality on the situation. 

Alan rolls his eyes; typical Gordon humour and he isn’t going to raise to the bait. “Scott, I want to go home” he demands. 

“Gordon stop teas…” Virgil starts before a bolt of lightning strikes him, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious.

“VIRGIL!” four voices call in shock. 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will be continued - on day 29!


	28. Such wow. Many Normal... Very oops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott + hunting season + accidents
> 
> Scott has brothers. Bored brothers! So he agrees to a game which ends in disaster

“Scotty we are bored!” Gordon announces just after he has finished his breakfast. 

“Yeah Scotty we are bored” Alan confirms.

Scott looks up from the magazine he is reading. It is going to be a long summer if they are already bored on the second day of the holidays. 

“You could try studying. Your grades stunk last semester. Especially yours Gordon” Scott reminds them.

“I didn’t fail anything” Gordon replies with a shrug. 

“You got a D in Maths and your teachers comments reckon dad would be better off if he sold you for spare parts!” Scott reminds him.

“That was a D+ thank you. And a pass is a pass!” Gordon replies rolling his eyes. 

“Whatever. What do you two want to do?” Scott asks. 

“Hunt you for sport” Gordon replies grinning.

“I’m sorry?! You want to what?!” Scott replies.

“Hunt you for sport. We will give you a head start and then hunt you down” Gordon says. “Virgil said it was a good idea” 

“Then go and hunt down Virgil” Scott replies rolling his eyes. 

“Come on Scotty! PLEASE” Gordon pleads, flashing his giant amber eyes on his eldest brother. “we are bored” 

Sighing, Scott closes the magazine and places it on the table. “What do I need to do?”

“VIRGIL, JOHN HE SAID YES!” Gordon shouts. 

Virgil and John come charging into the kitchen and sit at the table with them. 

“You will be given a half hour head start, and you will need to leave a trail for us to follow. Come on Scott, it will be fun! We are all bored Scott” Virgil says.

Scott nods in agreement. “Okay say I agree to this what is in it for me?”

Gordon has thought this through too. “Take your magazine and you can have time to yourself while we find you. And dad said that it is good practise for future search and rescue missions when we are all members of International Rescue” 

“And dad said it was okay?” Scott asked. Gordon is supposed to be grounded. 

“Yeah, we asked” John replies, his fingers crossed behind his back. Their father has left for work already so they were unable to ask him. They could have contacted him at the office, but he would have said no. 

“Okay fine, I will lay you a trail and you can “hunt me for sport!”” Scott says giving in. “I will make you a trail with the dried rose petals that Grandma got the other day, she won’t miss them, but I am not going to make it easy for you” 

Gordon grins. “Thanks Scott, we will go and grab grandpa’s gun” 

“Absolutely not!” Virgil replies. “We will be using humane methods and there is no way that you are getting a gun” 

“Mean!” Gordon replies laughing. 

Scott shoves the magazine into his school bag and throws in a bottle of water and an apple. Slinging the bag onto his back he turns back to his brothers. “Remember half an hour then you can come and look for me!” 

“We know Scotty, now get going” Alan says. 

“Can we have a snack Virgil?” Gordon asks, once Scott has left. 

“You have just had breakfast” John says. 

“Sure” Virgil says “I could eat” 

“Bottomless pit” John rolls his eyes. 

“Lighten up, we have half an hour before we have to look for Scott” Virgil replies, putting slices of bread into the toaster. 

*TB*

Scott can’t believe that he allowed them to talk him into this as he trudges across the back yard and out into the forest behind the farmhouse. He has a destination in mind and remembers to leave little clues for his brothers to find. The lake he is heading for has the best hiding spots and is set in a clearing about an hours hike away, and Scott and his brothers have spend many hours here swimming and fishing together. 

He is wrapped up in those happy memories, the ones with his mom dad and grandparents all out here with a picnic. Gordon trying to catch the frogs and once even found himself a snake which luckily was not venomous! 

He is actually smiling now, as he continues his walk. Getting out in the early morning sunshine, alone, is just what he needed. 

Spotting the gap in between the trees, Scott breaks out into a run, not noticing the raised roots of an ancient sycamore tree and he suddenly finds himself splayed facedown on the floor. He didn’t even get enough time to stick his arms out to stop the fall and his nose smashes into the rock-hard ground. 

“Ow” Scott mumbles, getting up onto his knees, his nose is throbbing in pain, holding his hand up he is dismayed to find blood trickling down from his nose. His left ankle is murder, and he is sure that it is broken. 

He starts to crawl towards the lake, every single inch gained across the rough terrain hurts his knees and hands and he feels so stupid for leaving his phone at home. 

*TB*

Virgil has packed food and water bottles in the bag, just in case it takes them longer to find their pray before they set off. turning to Alan and Gordon who John and he have put in charge of the hunt Virgil says “Okay, where too boys?” 

“First we need to work out which direction he has gone in” Gordon says thoughtfully. Looking around the garden for clues. “Over here!” Gordon calls, spotting the first of the petals near the back gate. 

“I bet he is going to the lake; Scott is so predictable. Virgil run back and get us some towels” Gordon demands. 

Virgil goes back into the house, picking up swimsuits, sunblock, towels and snacks just in case they are needed before running to catch up his brothers. 

Sure enough all the clues Scott has left lead to the lake. 

“John can you carry this for a bit?” Virgil asks handing over the bag, which is becoming unbearably heavy.

John takes the bag, while Alan and Gordon are still searching for clues. Scott left them plenty as he didn’t want to make it too hard for them. John and Virgil fall back slightly and are discussing the planned vacation at the end of the summer in England with friends of their father, when Gordon screams. 

“Gordon?” Virgil gasps before racing to sound of his brother’s scream. Finding him bent over Scott’s unconscious body. 

“Virgy he’s hurt. But I didn’t shoot him” Gordon insists. 

“Scott? Can you hear me?” Virgil asks. Assessing his brother for any obvious injuries. His t-shirt is covered in blood, which is still gently dripping from his nose. 

Scott moans in pain, struggling to open his eyes. “Ankle. Hurts. Ow!” he mumbles, making very little sense. 

“We need to get you back to the house” John says. The game is long forgotten as they hoist Scott up onto his feet one arm around John’s shoulders and the other around Virgil’s as they slowly make their way back to the house. 

“Scotty, I didn’t shoot you” Gordon tells him.

“I know Squid. I fell, it’s fine” Scott replies. 

“We can’t tell dad” Gordon insists. 

“Why not?” Scott asks. 

“Because we lied to you! We never asked dad but we were so bored. But if he finds out I left the house he will ground me for even longer, so if he asks Alan pushed you down the stairs” 

“I think we can come up with a better cover story than that!” Virgil says laughing. “If the truth comes out we will all get grounded for letting Gordon out.”

“It’s fine, Tracy cone of silence. We take this secret to the grave!” Scott says with a grin. “We will tell dad I fell and that Gordon saved me, you never know Squid this might get you ungrounded” 

Jeff is already home when they finally get back, sitting at his desk in the lounge and looking distinctly unimpressed. “Where have you lot been?” he asks after Virgil and John have deposited Scott on the sofa.

“I can explain” Scott says. 

But Gordon shuts him down. “This is all my fault. I was bored and Virgil said we should hunt Scott for sport…” 

“Excuse me?” Jeff interrupts. “You can not hunt your brothers for sport!” 

“It was just a game dad, they wouldn’t let us take your gun” Alan says.

“I should think not! Scott what happened to you?” Jeff asks.

“I fell over. Landed flat on my face. These guys found me and helped me home, dad please don’t be angry with Gordon for leaving the house. It is the summer holidays and he was bored” Scott says. 

Jeff knows that getting mad with Gordon is not the right solution, and besides he has just saved Scott’s life. “Okay fine, where does it hurt Scott?” 

“My ankle is killing me. And my head dad” Scott admits. 

“Emergency room killing or just as ice pack and the TV remote killing?” Jeff asks. 

“Ice pack and tv remote” Scott replies with a grin. 

“Knock yourself out” Virgil says handing him the remote. “Oh wait! You did that already”


	29. I think I need a Doctor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John + reluctant bedrest. Virgil + bedrest he is too ill to fight! 
> 
> following Johns disastrous birthday the two brothers find themselves room mates in the hospital, and someone is not impressed. Part 2 of chapter 27

“VIRGIL!” Scott screams, lowering John to the ground and throwing himself onto the ground beside Virgil, who is stirring feebly covered in mud and moaning painfully, rolling over on to his stomach and just lying as still as possible. 

“What happened?” he asks, his face still planted into the mud.

“You got struck by lightning. And we need to get out of here” Scott tells him. “Can you sit up?” 

“No. Scott I can’t” Virgil replies honestly. 

Virgil has never been so easily defeated before, and this is more terrifying than the initial strike. 

“Where the hell are we?” Alan asks, looking around. The fog has still settled around them, making it nearly impossible to see. 

John is sitting leaning up against Gordon, his face pale and still pained and his back feels like he has been trampled by an elephant. “I have no idea” John says honestly. But like Virgil he does not feel able to move any further. 

“How the hell are we going to get home?” Alan asks. He is used to being in control of a rescue situation, but this is beyond his abilities, and he is reverting to the only thing he knows how. Relying on his big brothers to look after him. 

The rain is still hammering down, and Alan is freezing, his shirt is sticking to his back. “Scott I have mud in my underwear” he complains. 

“More information than I needed Al” Scott replies. His eyes still firmly on Virgil. 

“I am going to have to carry you Virg. Gordon and Alan, you will have to help John” Scott says, hoisting Virgil up onto his shoulder. 

“There is no point Scott. We are so lost that all that is going to do is make the blisters on my feet worse” Alan replies bitterly. 

“We just need to find shelter and stop the attitude” Scott demands. 

“What attitude?” Alan snaps back. 

“That attitude. You either help or we are going to leave you here to be eaten by coyotes” Gordon answers for Scott. 

“SCOTT” Alan complains. 

Scott glares at Alan in disgust. If they are ever going to get out of this alive then they need to work together and fighting among themselves is a recipe for disaster. “Just help Gordon with John” 

Alan opens his mouth to argue some more, but stops at the look on Gordon’s face, his eyes are dark with his eyebrows furrowed, silently warning him not to start a fight. 

John’s weight evenly distributed between Alan and Gordon, while Scott carries Virgil the group starts to walk again. Every single step they take hurts and they have no idea if they are even heading towards the house but moving feels better than not moving. They don’t talk, they just keep marching. The horses following, they don’t want to risk riding them in case they get spooked and someone else gets hurt. 

“What is that?” Alan asks spotting a building on the horizon. It is definitely not the ranch though. 

They find that the building is in ruins and has clearly been abandoned years before. But it is shelter and they gratefully enter the dry room and deposit their casualties on the floor, leaning them up against the wall near the chimney breast. 

Virgil is barely conscious, slumped on one side his breathing is shallow and pained and he just wishes he was back on the Island in his own room fast asleep on his memory foam mattress. 

“I am going to look around, see if there is any food here” Scott says. 

Going from room to room Scott finally finds the kitchen. His disappointment at the lack of supplies turns to joy when there is a radio, which is his surprise considering how bad today has been, works. “Calling international Rescue” Scott says into the microphone. 

“Is that you Scott?” Eos asks surprised to hear from him. 

“Yeah it is me. Eos, I need you to patch me through to Kayo” Scott asks. 

“Sure thing Scott. Is everything okay?” Eos asks. 

“It will be” Scott assures John’s AI daughter. 

“Putting you through now” Eos confirms.

“Scott? Thank god. We have been so worried. Where are you? John’s horse came back hours ago.” Kayo says, the relief in her voice is palpable. 

“In some old, abandoned house. John and Virgil are injured and we need to get them to the hospital.” Scott says. 

“Okay I will get Shadow and we will come and look for you.” Kayo says. 

“Thank you” Scott replies. 

“I will see you in a bit” Kayo says confidently.

Scott takes the radio with him, and re-joins his brothers in the other room. “Guys, we are saved! Kayo is on the way” 

“Oh thank god. I need a shower!” Alan replies. 

“And Virgil needs a doctor” Gordon says trying to straighten his younger brothers priorities. Gordon is sitting on the floor next to Virgil, who is now leaning on his shoulder and has not spoken since he regained consciousness. His eyes are glassy and unfocused and he is happy to lean on Gordon. 

“That too obviously” Alan says with a roll of his eyes. 

“keep it civil you two” Scott warns. 

“I am. He is the problem” Alan spits back angrily. 

“I am not!” Gordon growls. 

“Stop it” Virgil groans from beside Gordon. “Making… head… hurt…”

“Sorry Virg” Alan and Gordon both reply contritely. 

“Where is Kayo already?” Alan asks, getting up and walking over to the window to wait for their rescuer. 

“She will be here” Scott says. “Come away from the window, it is still really windy and you don’t want to be there if it blows the glass out” 

Alan is ready to argue. This has been one of the worst days of his life, but he is saved from having to do so by the engines of FAB one in the distance. “WE ARE SAVED!” Alan shouts happily, running out the door to let Parker know that they are there and breathing the biggest sigh of relief when it comes into land.

“Come on, lets get you out of here” Gordon says to Virgil, helping him up and letting him lean on him while they stumble out the door and into the warm interior of FAB one. 

“What about the horses?” Gordon asks.

“Kayo is on it, we will leave them here and Penny and she are going to get them home” Scott says.

It is a tight squeeze with Gordon having to sit on Scott’s lap and Alan squashed up against the seats on the floor. 

“Hospital please Parker” Scott asks. 

“Yeah we need to get Virgil and John to a vet” Alan says.

“A vet?” John laughs. “Then he wonders why we made him sit on the floor!” 

Parker flies them over the ranch. 

“Are you kidding me?” John asks. “It is a five-minute walk from where we were!”

“Yeah, you guys weren’t actually that lost” Parker tells them with a grin. 

*TB*

The emergency room of the local hospital is relatively quiet, and John and Virgil are seen to quickly. 

X-rays reveal John’s ankle has a hairline fracture which is put into a brace but his back is just badly bruised. 

“What is the verdict doctor?” John asks. 

“I want you to rest for four to six weeks. Complete bed rest. On earth!” 

“Earth?” John repeats. “Really?” 

“Yes, on earth!” the doctor replies. 

“Worst birthday ever!” John announces. “How is Virgil doing?” 

“He is going to have to stay here under observation for at least a week. There are significant burns to his hands and feet, but he got lucky. He never stopped breathing, he will make a full recovery but it is going to take time.” 

“Can I see him?” John asks.

“You can, Scott refused to pay for two rooms so you are going to be roomies!” Gordon says grinning. “What are you doing?”

“Googling if bones heal faster in space!” John replies, not looking forward to spending time with Virgil’s snoring. 

“Do they?” Alan asks curiously.

“No, apparently not” John replies sadly. 

“So you and Virgil are stuck here together?” Alan confirms. 

“Yeah. It looks like we are. And this is the worst birthday ever” John says.

“Worse than the one Gordon spent in intensive care following his ruptured appendix?” Scott asks. 

“Or that one of Alan’s where we all ended up with food poisoning?” Gordon asks.

“Okay, but this is definitely in the top five” John insists. “Can we at least go back to the Island?” 

“Not until the Doctor signs you out” Scott insists. “I know you hate being confined to both earth and bed, but you need to rest and I have contacted the GDF and we are taking a break until you and Virgil are back on your feet no matter how long it takes” 

“I don’t want to” John replies. 

“Wow, you sound like Alan” Gordon says rolling his eyes. 

“I will strap you to the bed” Scott threatens menacingly. 

“Fine, I will stay here. But can you at least get me my own cell?” John asks. 

“This is a hospital not a jail!” Scott reminds him.

“I don’t see the distinction” John replies. 

“Get some rest John, we will pop back and see you both later” Scott says shepherding Gordon and Alan from the room. 

*TB*

Virgil’s recovery takes longer than expected, even once he is released from the hospital, he has very little energy, spending hours asleep, not even arguing about having to stay in the infirmary. 

“I am worried about him” Gordon says to Grandma. It has been three weeks since the storm, and John is now happily hobbling about the Island on crutches having escaped from the infirmary. “I scratched Thunderbird Two yesterday and when I told him he didn’t even threaten to kill me!” 

“He is getting better Squid, but you know it is going to take some time. Did you really scratch his bird?” Grandma asks.

“No, I just miss him and wanted him back to normal” Gordon replies. 

“Just be there for him. That’s all you need to do. Be the little trouble making brat he loves” Grandma says smiling. 

“So what you are saying is prank him…?” Gordon asks with a sudden gleam in his eye.

“No, I am not. Just look after him” Grandma replies. 

“Don’t prank me” Virgil calls from the doorway.

“What are you doing out of bed?” Grandma asks sternly.

“I think I am bored” Virgil announces. 

“Really?” Gordon asks hopefully. “never do this to us again Virg, because you scared me” 

“Now you know how it feels fish face” Virgil says with a grin. 

“When have I ever scared you?” Gordon asks. 

“That is a whole other story!” Virgil tells him with a grin.


	30. Now Where Did That Come From?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeff + ignoring an injury.
> 
> Jeff takes the boys on vacation and is determined not to let anything get in the way of making this the best vacation of their lives.

Jeff Tracy is a single parent to five children whose school reports have seen them described as “wildebeests, unruly, unteachable, wild and in Gordon’s case “an advert for contraception””. Spring break is usually a week of the boys arguing over whose turn it is to pick a movie, or where they want to go. 

But this week it is going to be different. He is in charge, not Gordon. He is the adult here and he is going at assert his authority! He has a trip planned for the vacation, and has drawn up a list of things the boys will need to pack, as the location is a surprise. 

It is Saturday morning and the first official day of the holiday, and he is woken hours earlier than he would have liked by Alan who comes running into his bedroom and jumps up onto his bed and climbs up into his chest. “DADDY!” Jeff’s six-year-old youngest son shouts. “IT IS TIME TO GET UP” 

“Allie, it Is still dark” Jeff replies.

“No it isn’t you have your eyes closed” Alan replies giggling. “Look the sky is awake” 

Jeff opens one eye and looks at Alan who is still sitting on his chest and has a grin on his face which clearly says “I am not going back to bed” 

Jeff sighs. “Okay get off me and I will get up” 

Alan rolls off him giggling while Jeff struggles to sit up. “Can we get breakfast?” Alan asks, jumping from the bed over to the window and throwing open the curtains. Sunlight streams in through the window. Jeff looks at the clock on his bedside table and his heart sinks when he realises that it is half past seven in the morning, on a Saturday. 

“Go and get your brothers up, and ask Scott to order in” Jeff asks, hoping that he might be able to trick Scott into babysitting while he goes back to sleep.

“Okay daddy” Alan says before skipping out the room. He decides to try Scott first throwing open his eldest brothers bedroom door Alan races into the room and grabs his blanket. 

“SCOTTY!” Alan shouts. 

“Go away” Scott snaps. 

“But daddy said we can order breakfast” Alan insists. 

“Go. Away” Scott repeats. “And give me back my blanket!” 

“Fine, but I am telling Virgil you are being mean to me” Alan says slamming Scott’s door. 

“Okay. So dad and Scott won’t get up. Time to try Virgil” Alan says to himself determined not to give up. One of his big brothers is going to play with him even if it kills them! 

“VIRGIL! SCOTT SHOUTED AT ME” Alan yells into his ear. 

“OW! Bloody hell Alan, get lost” Virgil says angrily. 

“But Virgy. I am hungry” Alan tells him. “Daddy said Scott could order breakfast, and Daddy never agrees to let us order breakfast but he won’t do it” 

“Alan go back to bed” Virgil begs. 

“Fine. I will try John but if I starve to death it is your fault!” 

“Don’t be such a drama queen” Virgil says throwing a pillow at his head. “Come over here and have a cuddle” 

“I don’t want a cuddle, I want breakfast” Alan moans, before leaving to try John. 

John doesn’t even grunt at him, leaving him with only one option.

Gordon has made a nest out of his blankets and is lying on his side curled up into a ball, his plush squid in his arms, snoring gently.

Alan knows that he needs a more subtle approach and yelling at Gordon would get him thrown out the window. Picking his way gently across the soft carpeted floor, Alan gently prods him awake. “Gordy I am hungry” Alan says.

“Hi hungry” Gordon replies sleepily. 

“Haha” Alan replies. “Gordy, I need food” 

“And I need a weeklong sleep, and tickets to the Olympics next summer” Gordon replies.

“Gooooooordy!” Alan whines.

“Go and make your own” Gordon replies turning over to face the wall.

“Okay fine! But dad said we could order breakfast, but no one will order it, and I am banned from his tablet after I took the old one in the bath remember” Alan says. 

“Oh yeah, dad was so mad” Gordon says laughing at the memory. “Can you not just go back to bed?” 

“No!” Alan replies. “I WANT BREAKFAST!” he shouts. 

“I want never gets” Jeff replies from the doorway. 

“Daddy. No one will feed me” Alan says in dismay. 

“With that attitude I am not surprised” Jeff says. “Now come on let’s get you fed before you eat your brothers!” 

Jeff takes Alans hand and leads him down the stairs and starts to order pancakes and breakfast burgers for everyone. “You need to be nicer to your brothers if you want them to do something for you”

“I know but daddy they were mean to be too” 

“Go and wait on the porch for the delivery, I will sort your brothers out” Jeff insists. 

“Okay daddy” Alan replies happily, fully expecting his big brothers to get shouted at!

Jeff is more successful and all four of Alan’s big brothers are rounded up and in the kitchen when he brings the food through.

Scott is already on his second coffee before he is even halfway through his breakfast. 

“I have an announcement” Jeff says, putting his own mug down and gaining their attention. 

“You’re sending Alan to jail” Gordon asks.

“DADDY!” 

“Gordon no” 

“You’re putting him up for adoption?” 

“Virgil!” Jeff warns. 

“You are putting them all up for adoption and I am going to be an only child?” 

“No Scott!” Jeff replies. “Now if you are all done I will get to the point” 

“We are done dad” John says contritely. 

“Good. We are going on vacation.” Jeff says. “I have drawn you all up a packing list, and I will let you know where we are going when we get there” 

Jeff hands the lists out. 

“Dad, this said I am not allowed to bring my joke kit, or any fireworks” Gordon says disappointed while he pursues the list.

“Good call dad, when are we leaving?” Scott asks.

“This afternoon, so no sneaking out to the park. I know this is last minute but I wanted it to be a surprise. Can I count on you guys to help each other out, and not keep fighting?” Jeff asks.

Scott nods happily. If they are on vacation, he can easily sneak away from them wherever they end up.

“Good, now go get packed” Jeff demands. 

*TB*

To Jeffs surprise there are five suitcases packed and inspected by eleven thirty and he didn’t even need to confiscate much! Gordon tried to sneak in his joke set despite the warnings, and Jeff agreed to a compromise and let him take the plastic spider but only if he didn’t use it to frighten Alan.

“So where are we going?” Virgil asks. He is sitting right in the back of the car with Scott. John and Alan are in the middle row, while Gordon is in the front seat. Jeff deciding to split up Alan and Gordon to avoid fighting.

“The airport” Jeff replies sarcastically.

“For a whole week? Will we get to see all the planes?” Virgil asks just as sarcastically. 

“I asked for that didn’t I?” Jeff replies, as he starts to head down the driveway and out onto the open road. 

“Totally” Scott tells him grinning. “But seriously dad, where are you taking us?” 

“You will find out when we get there” Jeff says, keeping quiet about the destination wanting to keep it a surprise. 

“Are we there yet?” Alan asks less than a minute later. 

“No. the airport is about forty-five miles away it will be a while yet Al. Why don’t you read the book you bought or do some colouring?” Jeff asks. 

“I don’t want to daddy, I want to go for a walk” Alan insists. 

“That’s not a bad idea, we can tie him to a rope and he can run behind” Gordon replies. 

“Can I daddy?” Alan asks.

“No you can’t. Alan be quiet, Gordon stop teasing your brother” Jeff replies. 

Gordon stretches in the seat next to Jeff before leaning his head up against the travel pillow Jeff keeps in the car and pulls a magazine from his back and starts to complete a wordsearch. Chewing the end up his pen thoughtfully while he looks for each word but he is quiet now which is more than he can say for Alan who is still complaining. 

“ALAN, STOP IT OR I AM TURNING THIS CAR AROUND AND WE ARE GOING HOME” Jeff shouts, finally snapping, as Alan has been driving him insane all morning. Waking him up early, being rude to his brothers, winding them up and making a nuisance of himself. 

Alan whimpers but falls silent. Staring out the window, and it is starting to rain as he looks out at the scenery, but it is very boring. Nothing but trees and fields. “Johnny I am bored” he says about ten minutes later. 

At least I got some peace and quiet! Jeff thinks. “John can you please entertain your brother” Jeff begs. 

“I will!” Gordon says, “hey Al do you know the words to John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt?” 

“No” Alan answers intrigued. 

Gordon starts to sing “John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt His name is my name too. Whenever we go out. The people always shout There goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt” 

Virgil happily joins in, starting in a round followed by Scott and John. 

Jeff is getting a headache! 

The boys keep it up all the way to the airport and even Alan has learned the words now, and Jeff decided to just join in. if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! 

Pulling into the airport, Jeff is actually disappointed that their impromptu karaoke singalong is over as he starts to look for somewhere to park. 

“Come on boys, let’s go and check in” Jeff says. Making sure that he has their passports and boarding passes. 

“Are you going to tell us where we are going yet dad?” Gordon asks. 

“Nope” Jeff replies helping get the cases from the boot of the car before locking up, handing the keys to the valet on charge and going into the large international airport. 

*TB*

Hours later the are checking into their five-star hotel overlooking Disney World in Florida. Jeff has booked the penthouse suite on the top floor. It consists of three bedrooms, a comfortable living room, a bathroom and their own private bar complete with drinks and snacks. There is even a hot tub on the balcony. 

“This is so cool daddy” Alan declares happily, as he chooses a bed for the week. 

“Yeah I think I can get used to this” Scott agrees. 

“DAD CAN WE GO TO GATORLAND?” Gordon asks excitedly. “Look!” he shoves the brochure under Jeff’s nose so he can see the alligators. 

“Promise me you won’t feed one of your brothers to an alligator” Jeff asks. 

“Sure” Gordon replies. “Look at this one, he is fifty feet in length! And they have albino gators that are all white. Dad, can we go now?” 

“Tomorrow. Tonight we are going out for dinner then having an early night” Jeff says. 

“A what?” Alan asks in disgust.

“An early night!” Jeff repeats grinning. 

Jeff takes them to a burger bar for dinner, somewhere informal where Alan and Gordon can run around and get rid of any pent-up energy and hopefully tire themselves out! 

“Hey dad? Can we go to the arcade?” Gordon asks. 

Jeff hands them each twenty dollars, “can you keep an eye on them please Scott?” 

“Sure, what are you going to do?” Scott asks. 

“I believe that I have earned a beer” Jeff says with a grin. 

“I think so too Dad” Scott replies. 

Jeff gets up from his seat and walks over to the bar and happily orders himself an ice-cold beer and sits in the late evening sun to enjoy it, confident in Scott’s abilities to keep his brother’s out of trouble. 

It is a perfect and relaxing evening, and just what they all needed. Jeff sticks to his promise of one beer, he knows that getting tipsy is not a good idea as he promised Gordon a trip to Gatorland and letting him down would break his heart. Getting up from the table, Jeff trips on the curb, not realising it was so steep. His ankle buckles underneath his body and pain shoots up his leg. 

“Shit” Jeff thinks as he slowly gets to his feet. His foot is hurting as he tries to put weight on it. but it takes his weight, and he can wriggle his toes so he is confident that it isn’t broken, praying to anyone who might be listening that it is just twisted. 

Gritting his teeth he goes to find the boys, who are still in the arcade. Gordon has won a giant plush shark that is taller than he is, and Alan is playing on the motorbike racing game with Virgil who is letting him win. Scott and John are engaged in a fast and furious game of air hockey. 

“Hey Dad, look what I got” Gordon says holding the shark out and forcing him to shake its fin in a greeting. 

“How are you going to get it home?” Jeff asks, knowing that the excess baggage will be extortionate.

“IT?” Gordon asks horrified, “HE is a he daddy not an it!” 

“Okay, how are you going to get him home?” Jeff tries again.

“On the plane, and his name is Snappy” Gordon insists, as he hugs the giant sea creature to his chest. 

“Hi Snappy” Jeff says stroking the shark’s nose and wandering if he will need to get him his own seat on the plane! 

The trip to the arcade had the desired effect and has suitably exhausted both Alan and Gordon. And they both fall asleep quickly in the twin beds in the room they chose on arrival. Snappy as asleep in the bed with Gordon and Squid and there is barely enough room for Gordon. 

Once all five boys are asleep Jeff takes his shoe off to examine his ankle, which looks like he has surgically inserted a tennis ball. Prodding at it with his finger, he flinches in pain. Up and down movement is fine but moving the joint from side to side is impossible. 

Jeff limps out to the bar located at the far side of the living room and makes himself up an ice pack. Wrapping the cubes in a towel and placing it on the swollen lump. 

Jeff leaves the ice on his ankle for fifteen minutes, before getting his socks and shoes back on and going to wake Scott. 

“What is it dad?” Scott asks sleepily in the room he is sharing with John and Virgil. 

“I need to nip out for a bit, can I leave you in charge? Everyone is asleep” Jeff asks. 

“Sure dad” Scott replies falling asleep again before Jeff has even left the room. 

Jeff finds an all-night pharmacy and purchases an ACE wrap bandage and some pain killers before strapping his ankle up and taking two of the pills he has purchased in the hopes of getting some sleep.

Sleeping is difficult, and every time he moves, he wakes up swearing, but by three in the morning he is sound asleep and doesn’t wake up until Gordon is sent in to get him up for breakfast. 

“GATORLAND DAD!” Is how Gordon greets him. 

“Hello to you too Gords!” Jeff replies laughing. 

Jeff lets Scott drive, once he has had something to eat. The morning after, his ankle is even more swollen than it was the night before and is now an interesting shade of purple, but once he has strapped it up tightly and taken the tablets, he can barely even feel the pain, at least that is what he is telling himself.

“LOOK AT THAT DAD!” Gordon says enthusiastically, spotting a large alligator sauntering along the side of the road on its way to the lake for a swim. 

Alan looks over to where Gordon is pointing. “DADDY IT’S HUGE!” he shouts happily. 

Gordon could live here quite happily. He is allowed to feed the alligators and has his picture taken with a baby alligator before they take a long slow drive through the park looking at the alligators. 

Both Gordon and Alan pick out the biggest plush gators they can find in the gift shop, and Jeff realises that he is going to have to hire an RV to get their purchases home! John chooses a book and John and Scott get t-shirts to Jeff’s relief as those are easier to pack! 

As the day wears on, Jeff can feel his ankle throbbing and he really would love to go back to the hotel to rest, but after the boys have finished at gatorland they beg him for a trip to one of the large water parks nearby. 

Hours he trudges round the park watching as the boys go on every single ride they are tall enough for multiple times, and by dinner time he is ready to call it quits and go back to the hotel, and sit in the hot tub with a glass of wine and some tacos. He can see that Alan is visibly exhausted now, and is slowing down and hanging back with Jeff rather than racing for the rides.

“Tired Allie?” Jeff asks.

“No daddy” Alan lies while letting out a large yawn. 

“Well I am, How about we gather up your brothers, and we will go back to the hotel order room service and watch a film” Jeff says. 

“Really?” Alan asks. “Can we?” 

“I thought you said you weren’t tired?” Jeff teases. 

“I am a little” Alan admits. 

The next day the boys hit the Disney land park, but Jeff manages to bribe Scott and Virgil into being in charge, with the promise of an evening out on their own while he rests his ankle. Alternating it between icing and flexing. Before he climbs into the hot tub with a bottle of wine and just enjoys the tranquillity. 

Gordon brings home a giant nemo this time, and Jeff makes a mental note about him getting smaller souvenirs! 

“Where is the fish going to sleep?” Jeff asks. 

“In my bed with Snappy, Nemo and Rob” Gordon replies. 

“Rob?” Jeff asks amused. 

“Yeah Rob the Alligator” Gordon reminds him. 

“Of course, how could I have forgotten about Rob?” Jeff says.

Jeff takes John, Gordon and Alan to Pizza hut, keeping his promise of letting Scott and Virgil have some freedom and a curfew.

“What are we doing tomorrow dad?” Gordon asks after they have raided the ice cream sundae bar.

“We are going to the Kennedy space centre” Jeff replies, his eyes on his middle son, whose bright aquamarine eyes light up in happiness. 

“Awesome! Thanks dad” John says happily. 

To Jeff’s surprise Gordon chooses a t-shirt with the NASA logo on and not a giant plush astronaut. 

“I don’t need one, I have you” Gordon says to him when he queries it. 

Jeff wraps Gordon up in his arms. “And you always will Squid, even if I am not here is person. I will always be here” he says, placing the palm of his hand over Gordon’s heart. 

By their fourth day, Jeff’s swollen ankle is crying enough, but he ignores it to take the boys back into the park to explore a different area. Trying to stop to rest as much as possible but the boys keep talking him into the rides and he just can’t say no. 

Day five is a trip to sea world, which is Gordon’s favourite place so far, as he wanders around in fascination and watches dolphins and baby sharks and the penguins. “Dad, can I have a penguin?” he asks. 

“You may get a cuddly one from the gift shop if they have them, but don’t even think about trying to kidnap a penguin Gordon!” Jeff warns laughing. 

“But dad, look. They are so cute” Gordon says. 

“You are not having a penguin!” Jeff replies. 

“Would you like to feed the penguins?” one of the keepers asks.

“Really? Can I dad? Please!” Gordon begs 

“What does he have to do?” Jeff asks.

“Come back at three-thirty and you can help feed the penguins” 

“Sure” Jeff replies happily. 

Gordon loves feeding the penguins and is even presented with his own cuddly penguin wearing a red and white stripped scarf, which to Jeffs delight will fit in the hand luggage! Alan wants one too, so Jeff purchases him one from the gift shop on their way out.

Unwrapping his ankle from its strapping once he is safely in the privacy of his room, Jeff can see that the purple bruising is now black and without the heavy bandaging he can’t even put it on the floor now. He is just about to apply his emergency ice pack when the door flies open and Gordon comes running in. “TODAY WAS SO AWESOME” He shouts happily before he spots Jeff’s ankle. “Dad?” Gordon asks concerned. 

“It’s nothing Gords” Jeff reassures him, but he is already out the room calling “SCOTT! DAD’S HURT” 

All four of his brothers come running at the words. 

“Dad?” Scott asks. 

“It’s fine. It is just a sprain” Jeff insists. 

“When did this happen?” Virgil asks, removing the bandaging and examining the ankle for himself. 

“Saturday night” Jeff confesses. 

“Saturday? Dad that was five days ago. Come on we are going to the emergency room” Scott demands. “Virg, stay here with this lot for me” 

Virgil nods, before eyeing up his father with a look of concerned disapproval. “Why didn’t you tell us?” 

“Because I didn’t want to ruin the holiday” Jeff replies.

“Oh dad! You know we would have understood” Gordon tells him. 

“I’m sorry guys” Jeff says. 

Scott takes Jeff to the emergency room, where the doctor confirms a sprain and a pulled ligament which has slowly regressed to breaking point and he is sent back to the hotel with his foot in a soft brace and a pair of crutches. 

For the final two days of the holiday Jeff’s boys take care of him, leaving him in the hotel to rest and going out without him, obeying Scott and Virgil and not causing any trouble, and Jeff finally realises that he should have just told them the truth five days ago!

Jeff pays the excess baggage for Gordon and Alan’s souvenirs once they are back at the airport and allows Scott to drive home once they are back in Kansas.

“Scotty?” Jeff asks from the middle seat where Alan is sitting on his other side. John is up front with Scott this time, and Gordon is sitting in the very back with Virgil.

“Yes?” Scott asks. 

“Are we there yet?!” Jeff says grinning.


	31. Todays special - Torture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gordon + Whipped 
> 
> Scott is put in an impossible situation, but may just get himself some closure. Chapters 1, 12 and 18 referenced as the villain intent on torturing Scott returns for one last hurrah!
> 
> warnings for mild swearing and whipping.

“Scott” Gordon calls knocking on his big brother’s bedroom door. 

“Come in Gords” Scott replies, slightly disconcerted by the fact his aquanaut, water loving family fish is knocking. Usually he just barges right in! 

Gordon comes into the room, his teeth chewing down on his lower lip, something he only ever does when he is nervous or scared. 

“What’s wrong Gordo? Did you destroy Thunderbird Four again?” Scott asks, watching him as he wanders over to Scott’s desk and perches on the edge of his chair. 

“No” Gordon replies. 

“Gords. Come on whatever it is, you can tell me” Scott says reassuringly. Getting up from the bed and joining him at the desk. Placing his hand on his shoulder.

“We just got a call from Colonel Casey” Gordon says. Looking up into Scott’s concern filled clear blue eyes. 

“Yes” Scott prompts, realising that there is no way this is good news. 

“Dexter has escaped” Gordon says. 

The grip on Gordon’s shoulder is now painfully tight, Scott’s knuckles have gone white.

“How?” He asks in shock.

“They don’t know, but he was a maximum-security prisoner and the GDF are furious. Grandma says you have to remain on the Island, until he is caught. You know it is you he is after and that he is a madman” Gordon replies. 

“Absolutely not! There is no way I am hiding away from him, if he wants a fight then he has got it!” Scott replies.

“That’s the Scotty we know and love! Want to come and tell Grandma that you aren’t going to be intimidated?” Gordon says grinning. 

“Let’s go!” Scott replies, pulling Gordon to his feet and together they leave Scott’s room for the lounge where everyone has now gathered, including John. 

“Scott?” Alan asks nervously.

“It is okay Al, I can deal with this and I am not letting him chase me into hiding.” Scott says defiantly. 

“Scott, he kidnapped you, drugged you and kept you locked up until you believed that we didn’t exist. The man is a monster” Jeff insists. “And until he is caught, you are going nowhere” putting his foot firmly down. “You know that he is obsessed with you, and he won’t rest until he has you back under his control.” 

They know this from the extensive psyche evaluations that the Doctor was forced to undertake upon his initial capture, but he never revealed why in the two years he has been in captivity he remained stoically silent on his motivations. 

“But dad? What about the wedding?” Scott asks. 

Gordon is getting married at the Creighton-Ward manner the following weekend, and Scott can’t miss his brother’s wedding. Two years of preparation has gone into this wedding. Ever spare moment they have had Gordon and Lady Penelope have given them jobs to do. From pruning rose bushes to washing the windows. Scott has done it all, happy to help set of his brother’s winter wonderland wedding. Even Sherbet has been fitted for his suit. 

“No Scott. It is not safe” Jeff replies. 

“It is just as safe there, if we take precautions.” Gordon replies. “I am not getting married without him.” 

“Then you postpone the wedding” Jeff insists. “It is my job as your father to keep you all safe” 

“Then keep us safe in England. We stick together and we are safe” Scott replies. 

“Please dad” Gordon begs. 

“I will think about it, but if you get kidnapped Scotty, don’t come running to me!” Jeff says, but he is grinning. He knows that Scott can be kept safe if they all work together.

*TB*

It is snowing when they arrive in England, parking Thunderbird Two on Lady Penelope’s lawn. Which brings Parker out, who demands they move it to the rear of the property out of the way! 

“We will leave you to park up Virg, I am going to get a hot chocolate” Gordon says leaping down from the access hatch and running in through the front door before Virgil can call him back. 

Sherbet is lying on his bed in the lounge, his head resting on his paws. Feeling alone and lost, as no one has played with him all day and even Lady Penelope, his own mother, has shouted at him for getting in her way. He came in here to lie by the fire and sulk. 

“Hey Bertie” Gordon says gently, holding his fingers out for the pup to sniff. Sherbet licks his fingers, and Gordon sits down on the floor leaning up against the wall and he climbs into his lap and settles down. 

Everyone gathers in the lounge after dinner for a drink before chasing Gordon to bed for an early night. This is the last night he will have a guest room in the mansion, which he is sharing with Alan and Scott. Partly to keep Scott safe and partly to stop him from getting cold feet and running away! 

He is too excited to sleep though, and is still wide awake when Scott and Alan join him, both slightly tipsy having helped Parker finish a bottle of wine. 

“Shhh” Scott whispers, loudly “We don’t want to wake him” 

Alan giggles. “Okay” he whispers back.

Gordon flicks the lamp on. “I am awake guys” he announces. “I can’t sleep” 

“Want me to knock you out?” Scott volunteers. 

“Allow me” a voice calls from the shadows. 

Scott doesn’t even get the chance to jump out of his skin in fright before someone jams a needle into his neck and he slumps to the floor and doesn’t move. 

Alan and Gordon get the same treatment, and the three bodies are moved from the house and into the waiting van.

*TB*

Waking up, Scott’s has a dull headache. His arms are restrained behind his back, so tightly that he can no longer feel his fingers. And he is alone. The darkened room he is being kept in is cold and damp. His legs are also tightly bound and there is a collar around his neck which is attached to a rope which in turn is attached to the wall behind him. 

“Well well well, Scott Tracy” his captor announces, “I daresay you remember me” 

“Dexter” Scott spits in disgust. “Why are you so obsessed with me?” 

“You have no idea who I am do you Scotty?” Dexter replies. 

“No.” Scott admits, deciding to be honest with him. 

“Let me enlighten you. I have known you for a very long time Scott. You might remember my old business partner Martin Janus. He tried to feed you to his pet sharks. But you escaped and your friends at the GDF kept me in a prison cell for months before I was released. But alas you escaped by clutches a second time, with the help of your brothers. I went to jail for you twice Tracy, but I won’t be going back, because they are never going to find your body” Dexter announces. 

“You need to get a hobby mate” Gordon announces. And Scott finally realises that this time he is not alone. 

Gordon has been stripped to just his boxers and is chained with his arms above his head his ankles are bound to the floor and he has been left facing the wall. 

Dexter strikes Gordon across the back of his thighs with the bull whip in his hand. “SILENCE!” He roars. 

“Come on mate, my grandma hits harder than that with her hairbrush!” Gordon scoffs. 

Scott groans, if anyone is going to end up getting them both killed by annoying Dexter it will be Gordon!

Dexter storms from the room, leaving the two brothers alone together. 

“Gordon? Are you okay?” Scott asks. 

“Yeah, that hurt thought Scott” Gordon admits. “I am supposed to be getting married right now. this was going to be the best day of my life” a stray tear escapes down his cheek, and he can’t even wipe it away.

“We are going to get out of here, I promise” Scott replies. “But stop winding him up” 

Gordon is save from replying when Dexter comes back into the room, pulling a cart behind him, which he has Alan chained up on. 

“Crap. You got Allie too?” Scott groans, his youngest brother isn’t even conscious.

“I did. It is a shame I didn’t have time to get the others, but these bargaining tools I did collect ought to give you the motivation to tell me everything I need to know” Dexter replies. 

“They are not bargaining tools, they are my younger brothers. Let them go” Scott demands. 

Dexter’s laugh is devoid of both humour and mercy. “I don’t think so. Now Gordon here didn’t appreciate my efforts in teaching him some manners earlier, so maybe you will have more success. You will give him a dozen lashes with this here whip.” 

Scott looks at Dexter like he has suddenly grown a second head. “You think I am going to whip my own brother?” 

“No, I know you are going to whip your own brother” Dexter replies. “Because if you don’t, then I will put a bullet in Alan’s brain. Of course there is a third option. You can tell me everything I need to know to infiltrate your security systems and hand over your Thunderbird, as I could really use a new plane. And after everything you have put me through Scott, you deserve to lose your pride and joy. I will leave you three alone to discuss it” 

Dexter injects Alan with the antidote to the sedative he used earlier and the young astronaut starts to wake up. 

“What now Scott?” Gordon asks. 

“I have no idea. But I am not going to hurt you” Scott replies. 

“But you can’t give up Thunderbird One. We need to come up with a plan” Alan says. 

“What we need is some time, because the others will be looking for us” Gordon says. “Scott, you are going to have to do it” 

“No!” Scott replies. “I can’t” 

“Come off it, you have caned us all when we fuck up, how is this any different?” Gordon asks.

“Because that is because you deserve it. I can’t do this to you when you haven’t earned it Gords. I am not a monster. And watch your language!” 

“How about if I tell you something that I got away with that I should have been punished for?” Gordon asks. He doesn’t want a whipping, but if it gives his brothers time to rescue them then he will take it.

“Gordon, don’t tell him about the time we set him up to take the blame when we put electric eels in dad’s bathroom!” Alan says in horror. 

“I knew that was you two! I got grounded for a week for that!” Scott says in exasperation. “Look, if we do this Gords I want you to know that I don’t mean any of it. I will try to make it look realistic though.”

“I know Scott. I trust you” Gordon says, turning his head to look into Scott’s eyes which he can just make out in the gloom of the lamp left by Dexter. “I was hoping my wedding night whipping would be more romantic!” 

“Too much information!” Alan gags. 

“We get out of this alive and Penny can whip you till her hearts content!” Scott says laughing. 

They are laughing when Dexter returns, and are not the quivering wrecks he expected. “Well? Have you made your decision?” he cracks the whip, and to his disappointment none of them so much as flinch. 

“Yeah. We have” Gordon is the one who answers. “You can’t break us this easily. Give Scott the whip and we will prove it to you” 

Dexter keeps the gun pointed at Scott’s head while untying him, before putting the handle of the whip into his hand and turning his attention back to Alan. 

“Strike him” he orders. 

Scott stands back and raises the bull whip up over his head, gritting his teeth, before bringing it down across the top of Gordon’s shoulders. Leaving a thick pink welt across his lightly tanned skin. But Gordon doesn’t even react. 

“Again” Dexter demands. 

Scott really doesn’t want too. 

“Again Scott” 

Alan is crying as Scott whips Gordon twice more. 

“Better. Now Gordon are you going to stop being so rude to your superiors?” Dexter demands. 

“I thought it was you I was rude too?” Gordon asks. “You’re hardly superior” 

Dexter grabs the whip from Scott’s hand, pushing him back against the wall and starts to thrash Gordon himself. Over and over again until the skin starts to split. He is crying out now with every agonising stroke struggling against the restraints. 

“Now, have you learned your lesson?” Dexter asks again. 

Gordon has been whipped senseless and can do nothing other than lie limply from the chains, he is conscious but barely. 

“Well?” 

“Ugh” is all Gordon can say. 

“I will take that as a yes. Now Scott you know that I am serious. Are you going to give me Thunderbird One and all of your security details?” Dexter asks.

“No.” Scott replies. 

“I will kill your brother” 

“Fine. That is one life, if we give into you it will be hundreds if not thousands of lives. Gordon knows the sacrifices that come with being a member of international rescue” Scott replies. 

“YOU DON’T MEAN THAT!” Dexter screams. Striking Gordon again. “I think I will tie you back up again Scott while I think of a plan B, as apparently you all would rather die for your lost cause” 

But Scott is ready for him this time, and swings his legs round causing Dexter to fall to his knees and Scott pounces on him, bringing his fist back and releasing it into his nose which breaks upon the impact. 

“Oh I am sorry, did that hurt?” Scott asks.

“No he isn’t” Alan says. “Tie him up Scotty!” 

Scott grins at his youngest brother before using the ropes Dexter tied him up with to bound him tightly. “He is right I am not. Now I think we will get you back to the GDF. I believe that your cell is missing you” 

Scott frees Alan first, then they both untie Gordon, who slumps limply into Scott’s arms. “I will take him outside, see if I can get help.” Scott tells Alan. “Can you deal with this asshole?” 

Alan nods. “Look after him Scott” 

“Always” Scott reassures him. 

Alan turns his attention to back to Dexter and picks up the discarded whip. 

“No” he begs. “please don’t hurt me. I will do anything. Please” 

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t” Alan asks.

“I don’t know” Dexter replies openly sobbing. 

“Wow, now you aren’t the one in control you are a real coward aren’t you!” Alan replies with amusement. “You kidnapped Scott three times. And now he isn’t here, can you please tell me why?” 

“He ruined my life. You have all ruined my life and you will ALL PAY!” Dexter manically screams the last two words. 

Alan stands back in bemusement, just as Kayo and Colonel Casey come running into the room. 

“Really Doctor Dexter?” Colonel Casey asks. 

“GET ME OUT OF HERE!” he screams. 

“Oh we will, let’s get you back to prison” Kayo says. 

“ANYTHING BUT HERE” 

“How did he get hurt Al?” Kayo asks. 

“Oh, that was an accident, he accidentally fell under Scott’s foot when he wanted to stamp it” 

“That is a reasonable explanation” Kayo says shrugging. “Take him away”

Colonel Casey forces him up onto his feet and drags him from the room.

“How did you find us?” Alan asks. 

“This is the old barn on the Creighton-Ward estate, the idiot took you less than three hundred yards away” Kayo replies. 

“He is no criminal mastermind, is he?” Alan says. “Is Gordon going to be okay?”

“He will be fine; Virgil and Grandma Tracy are patching hm up. He took a bad beating Al” 

“Yeah, but he has always had more courage than sense!” Alan replies. 

*TB*

“He is not getting out this time” Colonel Casey reassures Jeff. 

It is a week after, and Gordon is recovering from the two hundred stitches and multiple transfusions needed to save his life from the warmth and comfort of the lounge at the Creighton-Ward manner. 

“How can you be sure?” Jeff asks.

“Simple, he is no longer on Earth. He is being kept in the recently reconstructed Hex prison. He can’t get out” Colonel Casey replies. “The only thing you guys need to worry about is rearranging the wedding and getting used to calling your son “Lord” Gordon!” 

“Yeah about that, Penny are you sure that this is not optional?” Jeff asks. 

Lady Penelope grins back at him, from her place on the sofa where Gordon is leaning against her his still recovering back resting up against a pillow. “Absolutely not, and if you think you have a problem, how do you think Parker feels!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND DONE! thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! 
> 
> See ya next year


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